Chapter 29
Bolding my comments as I have so much italics at the beginning. I wanted to write the whole next section from Robin's POV. I hope this has been worth the wait and worthy of all of my wonderful and loyal readers who have waited.
In spite of knowing he had the most notorious woman in all the land in this little cabin with his son, he couldn't stop staring at her. Whether it was accurate to call her evil, Robin was certain he would discover once she woke up, but the description of her beauty was very accurate.
…Roland ran a bit ahead to walk right alongside her. Robin was so perplexed, it just wasn't like his son to take to a stranger, especially one who exhibited such authority and rudeness. Watching the pair, he noticed she tried to ignore the child, but occasionally would glance down at him.
"Why did you nurse me?"
"Honestly? I don't know. I admit I wanted to run, especially with my boy there. But maybe it was because I did have my boy there. I want him to want to help people who need it. And you did-you did need it." He remembered how helpless she looked which conflicted with the strong capable woman before him now.
She started to say something but changed her mind. She took a step back. "Let's call us even then."
She turned and practically marched away. The relief Robin felt at not being arrested for stealing the egg was matched by the appreciation of how she looked in that dress.
The relief Robin felt earlier was gone the more he thought about it. How dare that woman insist on not arresting him for stealing from that pompous buffoon, taking the most priceless item for herself and then put them on even ground from his saving her life! The nerve!
At the sight of it, Regina's eyes narrowed out of confusion. When she realized what it was, actually what it used to be, her expression changed to horror. Robin looked back at it and was pleased to see it had crumbled a bit, making a mess on her gold inlay table. He sat back taking in her reactions. It was probably the funniest thing he'd ever seen in years…she was honestly grinding her teeth but trying to keep her composure.
"Is that what I think it is?" He couldn't believe his eyes. She had kept the squirrel! Not only that but it was still intact. He really thought she would chuck it the moment her carriage was near water.
She truly did seem quite concerned over his son's life, he honestly expected her to forget him that first morning she found her army. At times she fits the evil moniker perfectly, such as torturing victims in her dungeons for simply coming into contact with Snow White, yet she keeps mulching figurines on the dresser in her private chambers! Shaking his head, Robin tried to shake out his disappointment in the queen's decision not to help the people of Tripp's Landing from the approaching orcs. He just hoped he and his small band of men could protect the innocents.
He noticed when she reached for the handle her hands were shaking. Without a word, he reached out and took it for her, opening it up. She was about to climb inside when the man shouted "Long live the Queen!" From there all the citizens chanted it together. She looked back and there were tears in her eyes now. She glanced at Robin who held out his arm, she was needing help to climb inside.
He guessed this was the first time she had heard anyone shout this to her sincerely.
He watched as "Lucille" kept her mouth shut while blindfolded as he led her away from camp. He had no doubt it was pointless to make her wear it and it was probably killing her to remain quiet, but he wanted to get some distance from camp and keep his thoughts straight. Mainly about how she was able to encourage the one person in camp Robin had felt always remained lost and unhappy: Sade.
Who was Daniel? Regina's cries during her nightmare frightened her and waking up the terror in her eyes was unmistakable. What had happened to him?
They both were quite affected by the kiss. Though that first one could hardly have lasted more than a few minutes, Robin's mind was completely blank and he lost the ability to speak. Eventually, he remembered why they were there, he wanted to know what was going on and what happened with Rumple and Regina after the imp through him against the wall.
"One good deed is not going to undo the misery-"
"No," Robin interrupted. He was not going to argue with her over how he knew she was a good person. He just did, he couldn't prove it, not with words, and pointing out actions after the fact didn't seem to make the impact as significant as he wanted, so he did the next best thing. He kissed her.
After pleasuring her, he waited patiently until she regained some composure but he couldn't stop himself from gazing into her eyes and watching her. He couldn't take his eyes off of her but once she focused, she averted her eyes.
"No!" He turned her face back towards his.
"No?" she repeated, almost a question. It broke his heart to see fear flicker in those brown eyes, she was so scared of letting anyone actually see her. Truly see her. And that's all he wanted to do. See the real woman, not the queen persona.
After brushing his lips with hers, he almost forgot himself and let the kiss deepen too much until he remembered what he wanted to make clear. "No, don't turn away, Regina. I'm not going anywhere but all I ask is that you don't go anywhere either."
Her hands cupped his face, her eyes were glassy now and Robin felt his heart actually sore at how she bit her lip. "The queen is only someone you have to be with other people, I just want you, like this. Right now. Don't hide that from me. Please."
This couldn't be happening! No. After last night, how could she be doing this? She was getting the potion ready as her guards were in position. After the guard slammed his arm into the wall, Regina reached out and caressed it tenderly, so focused on it. Turning, he saw her fingers were stroking his tattoo. Why was she so mesmerized by that lion?
His hand shot out and snatched hers. "I remember now! Everything!"
Her mouth dropped open, shock evident on her face. Roland stood up, not sure of the significance of what his father just said. "Papa, are you better?"
His eyes fell to his son. His beloved son whose eyes held a new hesitation in looking at his father, that alone was enough to break Robin's heart, but he knew the worst was yet to come. Letting go of Regina's hand, he took Roland's. "Son, I am better. You did help. I promise. Why don't you go with Tuck again?"
Roland wanted to argue, that was clear, but Regina placed her hands on Roland encouraging the boy to do as his father said. Taking Tuck's hands, he went along. After he was out of earshot, Robin turned right back to Regina. "He might not have stopped the bloodsucker poison from doing its evil, but he did remove that foolish memory curse!"
Regina's eyes flashed a bit, she looked like she wanted to defend herself. But she changed her mind, probably due to the reality of the situation. "Are you sorry to remember…everything?"
"Of course not!" The pain was throbbing now, Robin had to lean his head back and readjust himself, the mounting ache pooling in one area was almost too much to bear. He could almost feel the poison rushing through his body, infecting as it flowed with his blood. "I just hate that…you chose to do it."
Regina ducked her head, everyone was there: the merry men, Rumplestiltskin, Belle, even Snow. Robin hardly expected her to admit to the real reasons why she did it in front of the crowd, though he could certainly guess. But what would have they been like now if she hadn't? He started to voice the thought but a round of coughing over took him. Now a stinging sensation surged, this was new. It felt like knives were zigzagging through his body like fireflies at night. His other hand jerked out and dug into the ground next to him, the dirt crumbling in his hands.
He must have blanked out as it was suddenly later or earlier depending how you looked at it. The pain was still there, unbearable as before but Robin felt something new on his heart. A pressing. His mind filled up with memories, memoires from long ago he had tried to bury. Yet they were returning now just as strong as the day he experienced them: His mother's death, his father kicking him out, watching people he cared for hurt by the unthinkable acts of tyrants, Marian's death, and now Sade's. He was angry. Angry that any of that had to happen at all, he couldn't stop it.
Looking around, he saw everyone was staring at him concerned. He must have morphed more into the monster. Everyone had taken a step back except Regina. She remained sitting at his side not appearing the least bit afraid. Yet there were tears in her eyes. "Why are you crying? You wanted me to forget you. Now I will. I'll forget everything." The urge to hurt her was so strong.
She held his hand. "I didn't want this. I gave you that potion to protect you."
He laughed, though it didn't feel real. "Well congratulations on a job well done, your MAJESTY" He sneered the best he could. He saw her flinch at his words, he was succeeding in hurting her. It was better this way. She could kill him easier that way.
"I'm sorry, Robin."
Was that all she had to say? "Why? Why did you do it?"
She held up his arm, stroking his tattoo. "Do you see this? Your tattoo? Years ago a fairy told me that I could find happiness again, love again. I didn't see his face but I saw this…tattoo."
He started to reply but all the different kinds of pain he felt so far, gnawing, stinging, aching, hit him at once. He could do nothing but scream. The men had brought sticks for him to hold onto and he squeezed them with all his might. When it finally settled down, he opened his eyes back up. He couldn't get used to how everyone would become startled every time he opened his eyes. Then he remembered Sade, those monstrous white eyes. Was he at that stage yet?
Regina still sat there not leaving him, looking like she wanted to absorb his pain with her magic. She had probably already tried. "You're saying you saw my tattoo?"
"I saw you. In a pub years ago. I could have approached you then, but I didn't. I ran away."
Regina saw him years ago? When? How could that be? "Why?"
A tear fell down her cheek. "Because, you can't…I don't…" She wiped her face, he could swear she shivered but that might have been him. "The last man who loved me like that died. Was killed." She looked around behind her and Robin guessed probably towards Snow White. She surprised him though, "By my mother. She killed him because he loved me. Wanted to protect me. Now I'm just like her. Worse actually, I've done far worse things…"
She didn't continue but she stroked his arm. "I thought I could handle what we had, pretend it didn't mean anything but seeing your tattoo forced me to realize how wrong I was…and also how foolish I was being. It was better for you the first time I walked away…you got Roland and Marian…for a time. I couldn't let you risk that and being with me…"
"No!" Robin didn't want to hear this. "Regina, we all make mistakes and we all have to atone for our pasts. But you can't walk away from me anymore than I can walk away from you. Even with that memory spell, I came to you, didn't I?"
She was about to argue with him but he stopped her. "Yes, it was to rescue Roland but even when I thought you had something to do with Roland's kidnapping, I was certain I could convince you to help. I don't know how, maybe it was all his soldiers he made for you. He loves you so much…" Robin coughed again. More pain and he realized they were just making things harder on themselves the longer they waited. "Promise me you'll look after him."
"Robin…" she started to say.
"Why are we wasting time?" Rumple stomped around. Robin wondered why he was still there. If he couldn't save him there was no reason to be sticking around. Then Belle came into view and Robin wondered if she was the reason, probably wanting to help. "I know you want to stay with the man you know as long as possible, but soon he will vanish and something else will take over. And then he'll be next to impossible to kill."
Robin hated to admit it, but Rumple was right. "You should listen to him. Hell, take advantage of him being here. Rumple, you can have your chance to have your revenge at my breaking into your castle now. Since I escaped last time. Should be an easy kill for you. I take it you like easy targets."
Rumple stepped forward just as Robin hoped he would. He hated the idea of his friends or Regina being forced to kill him, but the dark one could do it for them which was why Robin was goading him. Rumple raised his hands out and started to choke him. But Regina wasn't going to let it happen.
"No! No! Not yet. We still have time." She got in the way of Rumple and Robin could breathe again. Once she was certain Rumple was going to leave him alone for the time being, she turned right back. "Robin, listen…"
"Regina, it's been hours hasn't it?" Robin was realizing this was the perfect time. He had his memories back. She had told him their connection with the tattoo, as crazy as it sounded it suddenly made so much sense now. "The dark one is right. I'm ready to go. Please, let him kill me. I know if there had been a way to save me, you would have thought of it." He reached for her hands.
"Robin, we can't lose you. Not like this." John stepped forward, his whole face red from crying. Robin wasn't surprised in the least. In spite of John's large size he was the one merry man who was the most sensitive. And he bawled at everything from funerals to weddings to births. "You deserve a better death then this."
Robin shook his head at his old friend. "I can't complain, I'm surrounded by friends and loved ones. I died protecting my son, there is no better death than that." He reached for John's hands and they shook. When he let go, he turned back to Regina who was starting to look…he didn't know what. Determined? "Regina."
She looked at him. "Don't die. Don't leave Roland. Don't leave."
"Watch over him. I know you will. And the next time you have a chance at love, don't run away. Hopefully you can find a man who is more deserving of a queen's love than a thieving outlaw like-"
"Oh Robin," she interrupted. Placing her hands on either side of his face, she bowed down and covered his lips with hers.
I hope you enjoyed this. I love each and everyone one of your reviews. For many of you wanted fluffier so I promise the next chapter will be "slightly" fluffier. :D But alas, this week is very busy so I hope to keep up this schedule I have set for myself. Please let me know if this chapter meets your approval.