Chapter 2
Regina woke slowly from the depths with murmurings in her ears and a loud slapping sound persistently grating on her nerves. Opening her eyes took less effort than when she first found herself here and her mind immediately clears having lost the fog and confusion she previously felt.
Robin's men were discussing her. She could hear raised voices that spoke in unison jumbled together with intermittent moments of one voice, a much calmer voice, Robin. She could make out some of what was being said, but only words or short phrases. They were too far from her for her to put together anything they had planned for her.
Looking around she could see she no longer is surrounded by high trees, but has been placed inside a tent which would be a welcome cover from prying eyes if it were not for the flap of fabric on the side billowing in the wind causing that irritating slapping sound that woke her. Regina slowly sat up while bracing herself for the nausea and dizziness that had slammed upon her last time she had found herself in this position, but it doesn't come. She feels better, although she is still suffering from a pounding headache and that sharp pain in her side.
She draws her hand to her side to see if her magic has returned enough to heal the injury when she finds that it won't respond to her spell. She again tries to conjure the magic forth to knit what she assumes to be a cracked rib, but again it fails to answer her call. She can feel it now. Her magic is strong, flowing through her ready to be released, but it won't leave her, instead remaining in her even with the pressure she uses to try and push it from her hand. She feels like a bottle that has been corked and it is almost painful not being able to expel the power she has conjured.
"Leola root." Robin states as he steps into the tent, knife in hand. He has noticed her hand at her side and the way she is staring at the extremity with confusion. "When administered it prevents the release of dark magic by whomever consumes it. We gave you some while you were...resting." She notices his eyes travel from her hand, to her dress, her legs, shoes, and then back up her body finally resting on her face. It is not a possessive or frightening gaze, but more a look of curiosity that he places on her.
Regina stares up at him with agitation and unease in her expression. She is helpless. She feels a sense of dread overcome her knowing that she cannot use her magic. She cannot heal herself, she cannot protect herself, and worst of all she cannot return home until this root is no longer in her system. She thinks of Henry, of 'her' Robin, the people she left behind in her time and is overcome with grief at the thought of not returning. She hates feeling like this and refuses to show 'this' Robin how vulnerable she truly feels instead responding with anger.
"How dare you!" Regina says with a low growl to her voice. "Do you have any idea what you have done?" Robin remained calm and collected while Regina glared at him with a look that could have killed if her powers were intact. "I am protecting my men" Robin stated matter of factly. "I will not let anyone be harmed by your magic as long as I can help it. I have heard a lot said about the great and terrible evil queen. I've deemed that many of them are just stories, but I have no doubt you are a powerful sorceress and very dangerous. Given this knowledge I felt it prudent to give you the root." Again she witnesses his gaze travel from her face to her body and her attire which he must find very strange yet captivating. "Tell me," Robin asks gesturing toward her clothing, "do you always dress in such costumes? This clothing seems very...impractical."
A light chuckle is released before Regina can stop herself. This man is so like the Robin she knows yet so different. He is not afraid of her, that is clear to see, but he also does not have the light humor she has become so accustomed to in 'her' Robin. He is so serious and he is missing the arrogant smirk he tried charming her with constantly in the missing year. She contemplates how to answer his question and what answers she can or even should give. She doesn't want to damage the timeline more than she already has, but she also doesn't want to be executed by his men as the Evil Queen when she is not that woman. Not anymore.
"Yes, this clothing is quite impractical for the enchanted forest, but I am not from here. I reside in a different realm, and although I may resemble this...evil queen, I am. Not. Her." Regina states truthfully, hoping that denying her identity as the evil queen is the best move. Robin does not look convinced.
"You do not just resemble the queen. I have seen portraits of her and you have an identical face. You truly expect me to believe you are not her when you are also clearly a sorceress? Do you think me so stupid milady?" Robin questioned. Regina did not know how to respond to him. She couldn't tell him the truth. She had to get away from him and his men as quickly as possible, and she was hoping to do so with little complication. Looking at the man before her Regina determined she should just remain silent. They would not believe that she was not the Evil Queen, and she needed to concentrate her energy on planning an escape.
Robin released a sigh of discontent when he did not receive any response from the woman still seated before him. He glanced toward the ground and then returned a stern gaze to Regina. She could see so much in his eyes. He has always been an open book to her, and now she can see the grief and turmoil in his eyes. He is sad, so sad, and she can see loss and despair staring back at her. Regina holds in a gasp as it dawns on her, his wife, he had lost his wife. She doesn't know the exact timing of his wife's passing, but she knows Roland was young, only a baby. The man before her is clearly dealing with the loss of his wife. He has not come to terms with his grief, his guilt, as the Robin she knows has already done.
"It does not matter whether or not you talk." Robin's voice brings her out of her daze of sympathy. "My men and I have no right to judge you and so we will not. Rather we will bring you to people who may rightfully place judgment upon you. At midday we will leave for the last known location of Snow White. Her and her prince have been slowly building an army of great strength and have already succeeded in overpowering some of King George's knights." Regina remembers this time. When Snow and Charming had started fighting back, trying to regain the kingdoms they saw as rightfully belonging to them.
She remained silent while Robin continued, "We will leave you in their hands so they may determine what becomes of you. Until then. Rest" Robin states while retrieving a flask from a nearby table and passing it to her. She grasps it very aware of the way her fingers graze his as she brings the drink to her mouth and finds the water so refreshing. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was, but now she was also realizing she is very hungry. He again reaches toward the table and sets a cloth bundle in front of her before turning to leave.
"Thank you." She says tersely before he steps from the tent. She no longer felt anger, but only sympathy for the man she has come to care for so much. She opens the bundle that lays by her feet and finds some crusty bread that she devours quickly. Her headache has finally begun to subside and she hopes the pain in her side will fade as well, but for now she needs to think.
She needs to think of a plan. If they are traveling through the forest she should be able to escape his men more easily. She needs to get away from them, and then she will make her way to the dark castle. The dark one. Regina does not want to bring anyone else into her situation, but she knows he will have ingredients she will need for a forgetting potion. She will have to make sure Robin and his men do not remember her. Then she will try to find a way to reopen the time portal and return to Henry, her little prince, return home and return to 'her' Robin.