A/N- Oh my goodness ok! You have no idea how sorry I am for the long gap between updates, I've had exams and rehearsals and shows and work and it's just been a nightmare this past month so I haven't had time to write at all, it's so frustrating because I want to get the story out there! I promise I'll try and update the next chapter soon! I hope you enjoy!
Robin woke with a jolt. A zapping sensation came over him which caused him to wake from his dreamless sleep. His eyes shot open as his breath quickened, his mind racing over what had just happened. Robin squinted, his eyes adjusting to the darkness in the tent; he could barely make out any objects but the faint light of the rising sun helped him navigate to the tent opening. As the cool wind hit Robin's arm, goose-flesh appeared on his skin when he noticed the ground wasn't entirely grey. Robin knelt down and ripped some grass from the ground, he was in shock. He remembered green. The grass had a dark green glow which Robin couldn't help stare at until the wind picked up and blew it out of his hands. Robin was brought from his thoughts as he heard birds chirping and flying above him. He looked up to the trees and saw the pine green leaves which swayed, and the moss which was encompassing the grey bark. Robin laughed at the marvellous sight, he had seen green before, the first time was fascinating, but the way it looked today was more beautiful than ever, as if the Gods had blessed the earth. His mind shifted from the shades of green to the person who had caused this to happen, Regina. Robin smiled just thinking about her, wondering if she was experiencing the same sensation that he was.
"Ey up there mate," Will said yawning, peeping out of his tent, "don't mean to startle ya but could you, ya know, not just randomly laugh at the crack of dawn? Some of us are tryna bleeding sleep ere," he mumbled.
Robin couldn't help but chuckle, "sorry Will," he apologised, a smile plastered on his face. "I'm just, I need to be somewhere soon. Could you watch Roland for me for a few hours?"
"And what's in it for me, ey?" Will smirked. Obviously he would watch Roland, he couldn't get enough of the kid, but he would try none the less to get something out of it.
"You get to spend a few hours with the most precious boy on earth, now get your lazy arse out of bed and start making breakfast," Robin jokingly ordered, pulling Will out of the tent.
"Fine, mate I'll do it, but ya owe me one!" Will huffed, giving Robin a soft punch on the shoulder.
"I do believe you owe me about twenty!" Robin laughed as Will began walking towards the campfire
"Fuck off or you'll be late!" Will smirked as he turned his head to face Robin. Shaking his head, Robin gave Will one last smile and turned around. He began jogging but diverted his course from the tower to the local village, where he had to make a stop to buy something.
The same jolt flooded Regina's senses as she woke suddenly, lurching forward, taking in heavy breaths. It was too dark in the room for her to see anything but black, but she had to get out of there. Her stomach churned when she heard the familiar uproarious snoring that haunted her dreams, she had to get out of there. Lucky for her, Regina had sleeping quarters at the top of one of the towers; the room had been abandoned when Regina moved in so she created a secret hideout there. The room, locked by blood magic, held a four poster bed, a mahogany table and chair, her old dressing table which her father gave her before she married the King, her favourite clothes and jewellery, and all of Regina's spell books, potions and ingredients (or, more accurately, the items the Imp gave to her). An obtrusive snore from the old King beside her brought Regina back to reality. She had to leave the room she was currently in. Regina had escaped from this room in the dark many times, she knew the exact number of steps to the door. She had been working on her teleportation magic, if she truly focused in her lessons, she'd soon be able to transport herself into the secluded room, to the middle of the maze, to the tower herself and Robin would meet in soon... Robin! Regina quietly jumped out of the disgusting, almost broken bed and ran out of the doors. She was so swept up in her thoughts that she had almost forgotten about the one good thing in her life.
Regina ran through the castle, dressed only in a white, silk dressing gown, and up the stairs of the east wing tower, into her secret room. She conjured a fireball and lit the fire to add some light in the room, and almost lost her balance when she saw a green potion in a vial, sitting on the dusty shelf above the fireplace. Regina's breath stopped as she looked around the room as more items seemingly glowed a new shade of green. More potions, a few ingredients, and book covers; all making the world a more beautiful place. Slowly, Regina made her way towards the balcony and looked down. The dark green leaves on the trees made Regina smile as they swayed in the wind, her only thoughts wondering if Robin was experiencing the same emotions she was.
The chirping of the birds brought Regina down from the euphoric experience as she realised what time it was. She changed into a lose dress and wrapped a red cape around her. She conjured a crisp, red apple as she attempted to transport herself to the stables. To Regina's surprise, it worked, the grey smoke engulfed her as she was lifted from the balcony to the stables. Once landed, Regina was bitterly disappointed, remembering she had lost Rocinanté the previous day. With a huff, Regina walked over to her other horse, Whiskey, and set off for the tower.
After a good hour of riding, Regina reached the greying tower which stood at the top of the hill, with a good 90ft vertical drop into the ice cold ocean. The sun was rising over the grandeur of the harsh sea, however there were ominous clouds looming in the distance. The green grass flourished in the sun as it reached the tower, turning into vines and moss which had began to make its way up the old, crumbling walls of the tower. The tower was grey to those with and without colour, the stones it was made of were 100 shades of grey, lacking in colour yet still stunning to look at. Regina dismounted her horse brought him to the old stables which lay half way up the hill. She conjured up a bale of hay when the sunlight began to disappear behind a cloud. Regina looked up as the light grey clouds turned dark, rain began pouring down. Regina huffed as she contemplated transporting herself into the tower, but she refrained from doing it as she didn't know if Robin was there or not- no one could know about her magic. The rain was heavy, thunder erupted her thoughts making Regina jump. The atmosphere grew cold; her cape was only thin. Regina scoffed, she should have know better, this part of the Enchanted Forest was always cold and rainy. The tower wasn't too far away, she only had the rest of the hill to climb. With regret, Regina began running towards the ruined entrance of the tower. Lightning struck the sea, quite close to the tower, making her scream with fright as thunder erupted once again. She hated storms. Regina was quite fit, she enjoyed exercising when she had the chance, but running up this hill in the rain, which was turning the peaceful ground into harsh mud, wasn't the easiest task. The rain had thoroughly soaked Regina by the time she reached the opening for the tower. The Queen was shivering, her hair and outfits ruined by the water. Regina began to make her way up the spiral staircase, with every step she took the staircase grew darker. She reached the top and saw the door slightly ajar. Regina took a deep breath as she slowly opened up the door.
"Regina? Is that you?" A voice said as she entered. She instantly recognised it as Robins and smiled as she made eye contact with him. Robin grinned as she entered wearing a berry red cloak. Her hair was wet due to the storm which Robin had avoided, yet she still looked ethereal. He studied her as she closed the door, but grew concerned when he saw her outfit dripping, and her body shivering, which she was clearly trying to control. He stood up from one of the few chairs, and looked concerned as he walked towards her.
"Yes it's me," she replied, smiling, but the cold was getting to her as she began to shiver some more. Robin furrowed his eyebrows as he took off her soaked cloak and discarded it on the floor. He took off his own juniper-green jacket and placed it around her, and brought her over to the fireplace which he had already lit up. "Robin you don't have to do this I'm fine," Regina complained, not wanting to sound needy. Truth be told she did need the heat, but Robin didn't need to know that.
"Of course you do Milady. I've spent plenty of time in storms and you need to warm up before you catch a cold," Robin replied, sitting close to her so she could warm up. Regina scoffed but didn't haven't the strength to argue back. Instead she rested her head on his shoulder and listened to the sound of the fire crackling, the rain pouring onto the roof, and the thunder boom in the distance. After a minute of comfortable silence, Robin piped up.
"Did you see green this-"
"-Yes," Regina interrupted. She sat up to face him and motioned the jacket she had wrapped around her. "The trees, the grass, this forest smelling jacket, it's all so..." Regina struggled to find the right word.
"Green?" Robin suggested, causing both him and Regina to laugh.
"Yes, I suppose!" She smiled, unwrapping herself from the jacket.
"How's your shoulder?" Robin asked, changing the subject. Regina's eyes widened when she realised that Rumple had healed it completely, not thinking about the consequences.
"Um," Regina stuttered. "We had a doctor visiting the castle yesterday. He used foreign magic to fix me," Regina lied. Well, it wasn't entirely a lie, she had used magic, just dark magic.
"Magic?" Robin laughed.
"You don't believe in it?"
"Of course I do, I've witnessed it first hand, I just didn't think you'd find any, let alone anyone would be kind enough to share it. The last time I checked almost every magic yielding person was evil." Robins memory was flooded with that of Marian, when he nearly died to get the wand to save his son. He was brought from his painful memory when Regina laughed.
"Magic is everywhere. Light and dark. Sometimes it can be staring right at you and you wouldn't have the faintest idea," Regina smiled, hoping that he didn't pick up on what she meant.
"Well I want to stay as far away from it as possible," Robin smiled, making Regina's smile drop into anxiety. Regina stood up and placed the jacket on the chair Robin was sat on when she entered, in order to try and change the subject.
"Is your jacket ok on here?" Regina smiled, pushing the chair under the table, when she noticed a basket beside it. "What's this?" She asked, picking it up.
"Ah. I stopped off at the village before I arrived and picked up a few things for us to do, more specifically eat and drink," he replied, pulling out a bottle of orange juice, two goblets and some apples.
"Please tell me that's not wine," Regina smiled, spying the bottle.
"I wish," Robin chuckled. "It's orange juice," he replied, pouring it into the goblets.
"Orange juice? Aren't I the lucky one," Regina smirked.
"Only the finest oranges in the land for my Queen," Robin joked as he stood in front of her.
"My Queen? And what makes you think I'm yours, thief?" Regina said smugly.
"Well, I know I can do this without asking," Robin said, closing the gap between them and brining her into a passionate kiss. Regina wrapped her hands around his waist as they stepped in closer, deepening the kiss. Robin's hands ran through her raven hair and traveled downwards, running over her triceps, when Regina opened her eyes and winced, breaking the kiss.
"I'm sorry," Regina whispered, feeling awful that she ruined the moment. "I just..." She trailed off, not knowing where to go.
"No it's my fault," Robin began, running his hand through his hair and stepping away. "I should have asked before I did anything-"
"No-" Regina interrupted. "It's not your fault, I just have a bruise on my arm, it's nothing."
"I thought you said the magical doctor fixed your arm?" Robin jested, trying to make a light hearted joke out of the situation. Yet Regina didn't look pleased. "Regina is everything ok?"
"Yes. It's fine, I'm fine. I just did my duties as a wife last night that's all," Regina frowned looking away from him.
"Oh" was all Robin could muster when he realised what she meant. "Oh Regina," he added, pulling her into a tight hug. The room fell silent; the rain had stopped, the storm was over, only clouds remained in the sky. Only the crackling of the fire was there to break the silence. Robin felt a mixture of sympathy and annoyance. The King was a horrid mad, he wanted to kill him, vent his anger to Regina about him (he would probably get the same reaction from her), yet he knew that this wasn't the time to bring it up. Instead he just held her in his arms, providing a sense of safety and comfort. Regina needed to forget about her life as the Queen and so regretfully broke the hug in order to move on. Robin understood and changed the subject.
"So apples," he smiled, picking one up and biting into it.
"Apples. My favourite," Regina replied, picking another one up too. "How did you know to get Honeycrisp apples?"
"I didn't even know there was specific names to apples other than green and red," Robin admitted, making Regina laugh.
"Well this is most definitely a Honeycrisp apple," she smiled, taking a bite. "Did you know the Honeycrisp tree is the most vigorous and hearty of all apple trees? It can survive temperatures as low as forty below and keep growing. It can weather any storm. I have one that I've tended to since I was a little girl. And to this day, I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers."
"Really?" Robin replied shocked, slightly taken aback by the fact that she knew that. "That's most definitely something," he laughed.
"You know, there's an apple tree in the palace gardens that used to stand near where I grew up? There was a stable boy I liked once, and we used to meet underneath it," Regina smiled, sitting down on the chaise, thinking back to the memory of Daniel. He would be happy that Regina finally found someone who could make her as happy as he did.
"Well, I heard that there's a particularly handsome thief that you like, and you like to meet in the greying tower almost every morning," Robin smirked, joining her and making Regina laugh. Robin couldn't help but join in, the pair hadn't laughed so hard in years. When it came to a natural stop, Robin smiled and gazed into her eyes, giving her a peck on the lips before getting up. Regina's eyes followed Robin as he walked around the tower's only room, inspecting it.
"This tower is so strange. It was abandoned eons ago, yet the furniture is still intact?" Robin said.
"I guess it was just preserved. It's not like anyone uses it... Well, until us now," Regina replied.
"That is true. I never understood why it was called the greying tower, not Rapunzel's tower!" Robin said, picking up a dusty book from a shelf, filling through the pages.
"Hang on, you think this is Rapunzel's tower?" Regina asked.
"Yes?" Robin replied, unsure now due to the puzzled look on the Queens face.
"Oh my!" Regina burst out laughing, falling back on the chaise.
"What?! That's what I was told," Robin replied, defending himself, while Regina tried to maintain her composure.
"Oh you naïve thief! Firstly, it's called the greying tower because it's grey. Whether you see colour or not, it's just grey."
"Oh," Robin replied, looking sheepish.
"And secondly. Why would this be Rapunzel's tower? It's too exposed, people could find the it easily! Plus what would the blue witch need with Rapunzel's hair if there were stairs?" Regina replied, smugly.
"Alright then, Milady, whose tower was it then?"
"Well," Regina replied, raising her eyebrow and standing up. "No one knows for sure, but most tales have it as tragic tale of love. There was a witch, and a mere baker who fell I love and decided to run away together. The witch built the tower for them to live in, building it in grey stone so many would stay away. They lived a happy life," Regina smiled, walking towards Robin. When she reached him, she wound up the music box which sat on the shelf, took Robin by the hand in the middle of the room, and began to slowly waltz with him. "Some say the music never stopped playing as they danced each night away. Yet their happiness only lasted a short while, for with happiness, there is always tragedy." Regina broke off from the slow dance and made her way towards the window which had a magnificent view of the ocean. "One day, the baker was sat by the window, trying to see something in the distance, the folk claiming it to be the sea witch Ursula, when he fell out. The witch didn't see him fall. Only heard his bones break into a million pieces as he hit the ground. She ran down the stairs and when she saw the body she screamed so loud, wept so much that she cast a curse on the land that it would forever be grey from sunrise to sunset." Regina paused, and looked into Robin's eyes. "And when the local villagers found the witch on top of the dead baker, weeping over his body, they tried to comfort her, but to no avail. They were shocked when the witch pulled out a dagger and plunged it into her broken heart, knowing she could not live without him." Regina replied, walking back over to Robin. "A doomed love," she whispered in his ear.
Robin did not know how to respond. The loud thunder did the work for him as it erupted in the air above them, making Regina jump. Robin grabbed hold of her as she steadied her breathing. "But, again, that's only a tale. Who knows if it's true," Regina finally said.
"It's a beautiful tale," Robin smiled. "Perhaps I'll tell it to Roland tonight." The mention of Roland made Regina light up. "He really likes you, you know," Robin said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"And I him, I'd love to spend more time with him," Regina mused.
"I'll bring him tomorrow," Robin suggested, to which Regina happily nodded.
"I'd like that very much."
"Then it's a plan! Oh, please don't bring Snow tomorrow. I've only just met the girl and I hate her!" Robin laughed.
"Ugh, she's insufferable. We reached the palace yesterday and all the King was concerned about was her. You know I was blamed for being attacked yesterday?" Regina declared.
"Fuck off, you weren't!"
"I was! And at one of the stupid balls the King had last night she was the guest of honour! All they did was dance together all night, I was left to gather dust and drink wine. Lots of wine," scoffed Regina.
"Well, one night, if you can make it, I'll have to introduce you to my Merry Men- they all want to meet you!" Robin mused.
"Oh Gods what have you been telling them?!" Regina blushed.
"Only that I think your the most beautiful human in the realm," Robin smiled. "And that I couldn't wait to see you again."
"What colour do you think we'll see tomorrow?" Regina asked, picking up a green cushion from the old bed.
"If it's anything like what I've experienced before, I'd say blue?" Robin replied.
"Ah. So I we can marvel at the sky tomorrow just as the sun rises."
"Indeed," Robin smiled, bringing in Regina and holding her tight as they looked out of the window. "One day we'll see all the colours. We have that to look forward too. And once that day has come, we'll figure out a way to free you from the Kings grasp," Robin whispered.
"I can't wait," Regina replied, the words barely leaving her lips. They spent the rest of their time together laughing, sharing stories, kissing, and holding each other in their arms, enjoying their moments together before Regina had to leave. Robin begged her to stay for just a while longer, but Regina knew she was already pushing her luck. Regina kissed Robin goodbye for the final time as she put on her now dry red cape and exited the tower. The rain had briefly stopped, giving Regina time to get on her horse and ride away, Robin watching her disappear into the green trees.
A/N- I'm sorry this one is kinda short compared to the rest of them, I've had bad writers block on tip of all my other excuses! I promise I'll upload again soon! I love reading your comments, the positive feedback I've had is really nice and motivating!