Chapter 4: False Love
Swarming around Regina she didn't even blink an eye. Smirking she waved them on. "We all know how this is going to end… so my question is who really wants to take me on?" Watching them circle in tighter on her, Regina cracked her neck from side to side. "Well, it's your funeral then." Her footing holding stance as she turned around in a circle, her hands out ready to fight waiting for the fools to move first.
Finally, two charged at her, and Regina ducked allowing them to crash into one another Smiling she let out her battle cry as others moved to attack. Pulling out her sword she caught a blow, flinging the guy back into the building. Smiling she crouched and swung her sword at the ankles of some of the men. Cutting only one or two, the others jumped up or back to avoid the blow.
One attempted to sneak up behind Regina, she raised her sword above her head to catch it. In the midst, one managed to kick her side and Regina rolled sideways, her sword slipped from her hand. Bouncing against the dirt and it rose up into the air before hitting the ground. Holding her side Regina rolled back to her feet and then lunged up onto one of the men's shoulders before wrapping her legs around his neck and flinging him, landing on her own feet.
"Do you all still want to keep this up?" She inched herself back a few men coming in like a crescent. Regina glanced around at her surroundings. These men were foolish to continue going and Nottingham was getting way too good of a lead with Emma.
Cursing under her breath the pain subsiding Regina reached for a rope making it into a lasso, swinging it she threw it hooking around the arm of a man and pulling him slightly forward before flinging him towards the man to his left like a psyche knocking everyone down. Tumbling Regina rolled to her sword picking it up and twisting her waist and fingers to ready herself. Back flipping onto a barrel she kicked one in the face while knocking a sword from another hand. A few scurried away leaving one man bold enough to continue fighting.
Getting her footing Regina found her stance, feet spread apart, hunched a few degrees for the perfect angle. "I should have known you'd stick around for him, John."
Black curly hair, messy and greasy shaping his tanned square face. An eye patch covers his right eye. Two gold hoops in his left ear. Black leather gloves gripping the hilt of his sword. "Nottingham is the true sheriff until you and Robin Hood came around. I will continue to follow him."
Regina rolled her eyes and laughed, "That's just sad of you. He isn't even good at his job." She circled with him, palms out. "Ready when you are," she smirked coyly. Anticipating his first move. The excitement of the fight thrilled her to the bone.
He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, "I'm no fool to your game Reg—" an arrow shot threw his throat, and blood spilled out of his mouth. Slowly falling forward straight onto his face.
"Well, that's rather unfortunate." She looked around spotting something glistening in a tree top to her right. "You have impeccable timing Hood."
A hearty laugh came from the trees as a man in brown tights jumped down landing on his feet. "So, the rumors are true as they say. Regina the once feared Black Knight now White." A shit-eating grin painted his face, smug and proud as he stood there.
Crossing her arms, arching a brow, "Yes, it appears that way. You know Knottingham has it out for you still right?"
"Of course he does, after all, I did destroy his reputation and ran out his false king." Robin Hood continued to smile, stroking his chin. "What brings you here and on his radar that he left you John to deal with?"
"He abducted my friend. She has just as good of aim as you with a bow and he loved the irony in it. Wanting to use her to kill you. Funny isn't it? Also, he is delusional as always and thinks she's some princess." Regina scoffed giving a light laugh with it.
Arching a brow he inched forward towards her. "Princess? Which Princess?" He laughed in amusement, "I doubt she'd have greater aim than I. The great Robin Hood. I never miss a target. Ever. A little hard for someone like a little girl to be better than I."
"Gag me… are you really tooting your own horn? How big can that ego of yours go? Honestly, I don't have time for this. I need to get my friend. Please just go, thank you for assisting with John, even though I could take him. Begone. Good day." Regina picked up her belongings before walking to her horse.
Shuffling his feet he ran to her side, "Oh come now, let me assist you and we end this with Nottingham. Then perhaps—" Robbin wiggled his brows. "I know you don't really want to dismiss me."
Disgusted she cringed, "Ew, no gods no." She pushed the palm of her hand into his face shoving him away. "Aren't you married anyways? Though even if you weren't it'd still be a hard pass." She gripped onto the saddle hoisting herself up. "Goodbye, Robin." Kicking the sides of her horse as she clicked her tongue, the horse took off.
Scratching the back of his head he smirked, "Such a tempting vixen as always."
His hand traced her jawline, "You are quite the pretty thing. I loved a woman with such beauty as you, once." Nottingham breathed, his fingers playing with her hair, lifting strands to his nose. Breathing in her scent, "I should turn you in, there is such a magnificent reward for you. But I want to be selfish and keep you all to myself." He grinned.
Emma cringed swallowing back bile disgusted at his touch let alone his words. The smile on his face sent chills down her spine. How did he possibly think that he was charming or even flattering her? Always these types she just wished to punch in the face every time. "I'd rather not, and again, I keep telling you I'm not a damn princess. My name is Swan, I'm a peasant from a small village that was being ransacked by the Evil Queens guards and was saved by Regina." Keeping her story as solid as possible, it was something she had been telling herself since she began this journey. Telling a story of her new life, of the Emma she wanted to be. A life she created that was all her own and not one that her parents had designated for her.
Chuckling he pulls away running a hand through his thick chestnut hair. "Yes, you keep pleading that but yet you have a rather uncanny resemblance to Princess White. Who is wanted by the White Kingdom, Dark One, and the Evil Queen. You see how I am troubled in what to do?"
Trying to hold back a smile Emma couldn't help but laugh, "So, you want a reward and yet you want me to kill your arch nemesis because you are incapable of it? Sound's like such a dilemma you're right."
Nottingham rose his hand backhanding her to the ground. "Do not feel because of who you are that I won't harm you to some extent. You dare insult me, girl. Robin Hood is more than my nemesis. I have had many attempts for his life. They only failed due to…" He spat, letting out a low growl as his nostrils flared while snarling. His chest raised heavily due to his rage.
Rubbing her cheek pulling herself to her knees. "So, you have a sob story? Some bad guy you are." she mocked.
His jaw tightened his words gritted between clenched teeth, "All bad guys, as you so say, have a tragic story that lead them down their path even your precious Regina." Nottingham rolled his eyes, "if I may so add." He knelt down beside her, "He stole my betrothed from out under my nose."
"He? As in Robin Hood? Really now, please do tell me how." Emma sat up resting her hand under her chin intrigued, "Enlighten me with your tragedy I do like a good story." She bided her time knowing that Regina would be on her way.
A light chuckle escaped him. His demeanor completely changed, "Well perhaps if I do you will help me in my revenge against him. Very well." Nottingham cleared out his throat," King John took over the throne after the disappearance of his dearly beloved brother Richard. Appointed me as sheriff and there I met her. Maid Marian, lady of the court. Lovely as could be such kindness to her and I wanted her to be mine. King John introduced us and not long after under his orders, we were to wed…"
"Did she love you? Did you ask him for his approval and he demanded she marries you despite no feelings to be returned? Or did you ask knowing she loved you? Because so far it sounds like you wanted her like she was some sort of property to be owned." Emma questioned interrupting his story. Frowning at this so-called tragedy which only proved that he was still no victim to be had.
Laughing, "She had feelings for me I could tell. I saw how ecstatic she was. So happy she had tears of joy and dismissed herself to her chambers. Said to me that it was so overwhelming she needed to freshen up."
"That isn't joy… she was distraught and needed to get away." Emma tossed out there.
Brushing off her comment, "So you say. This is my tale after all." Nottingham fiddled with her hair. "On our wedding day, Robin Hood crashed the party. Swinging in swooping Marian off the alter and fled. That hoodlum… I didn't even know he knew her. Well, perhaps he had abducted her was more how I saw the situation. He made way with my fiance. So, I set out to retrieve her, and there I saw them kissing under a tree near Sherwood Forest. After that, I wanted nothing more than his head. And he apparently wanted John off the throne."
Emma tried so hard not to judge or laugh but it was apparent that Nottingham was oblivious to his own take. That he was the villain playing pretend. She had zero sympathies for him. It was obvious Marian never loved him and that her heart belonged to another. That Robin saved her so they could live happily together. "Why did he want John off the throne?" She asked.
"He claimed he wasn't the true king. But he was second in line and Richard was gone never to return." Nottingham spoke almost flabbergasted at the notion.
"What you're saying is Robin Hood didn't believe Richard was gone," Emma continued, "which is would be right considering Richard is back on the throne.
Nottingham shook his head standing up after patting his knees, "He'd been gone for a long time at that point off to war. We hadn't heard from him or anyone with a report on his being. So at the time, we had to take action and move John to the throne for the good of the kingdom. Now then, time for you to fulfill my request and kill Robin Hood." He extended out his hand for hers.
"I still never agreed to help you kill him. And even after your so-called tragedy I still don't care to. Because in the end, I find that you're actions were unjust while Robin's were in the right. Why didn't your King John call treason to the crown at the time?" Emma scoffed smacking his hand away while she stood to her feet on her own.
Standing tall anger boiled his blood, face stiffening, and in the midst of opening his mouth raising his index finger to the air, "Beca—"
"The false king is now dead!" A voice shouted as someone had done a backflip in the air smacking into Nottingham. Standing upright Regina coyly smirked her weight lay upon him, feet crushing into his lower chest and pelvis. "Robin Hood killed him just before I ran off to find you." She spat jumping off him towards Emma.
Emma smiled at her, "I was wondering when you'd show up."
Regina rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry Swan that I had to fight roughly ten to fifteen of his henchmen to get to you."
"Here I thought you could do it easily without breaking a sweat," she teased.
"Enough!" Nottingham shouted after finally standing up. Holding his lower stomach trying to ease the pain, "I've had enough of this. She will help me in my revenge — I will not be made a—"
Blood spilled from his mouth as an arrow cut right through it. Gagging he stood for a long minute before collapsing to the ground. Kicking him to roll him over, Emma besides her, Regina grunted "Well looks like you aren't the only one who's had enough."
Emma laughed just then startled by feet landing in the dirt behind her.
"I just had to shut him up. Revenge this, revenge that." Robin smiled, "Like my aim?"
"To be honest before today I never thought Robin Hood to be a killer. My, my how the times have changed." Regina said without once turning to look at him.
"Well, there is a first for everything. I grew tired of him harassing my family and me. Along with tormenting the villagers. He won't be missed. More like celebrated. No one has to endure that sob story he drowned on about." Robin shrugged looking at Emma with a smile, "You must be Regina's "peasant" friend she told me about. The one who has as good of aim as I do." He extended out his hand to her, "pleasure to make your acquaintance milady."
Emma reached out to shake his hand as Regina moved between them taking her hand instead, "Come along Swan we want to find food and camp soon before its too dark."
"Cheeky as always." Robin laughed at her, "Until we meet again," he tipped his hat before retreating back to the woods.
"I really hope we don't…" Regina muttered under her breath.
Emma waved turning to look at Regina, Well, this has been eventful." She laughed.
Chuckling Regina let Emma's hand go. "I'd say so, how are those boots?"
Shoving her playfully Emma laughed, "Shut up. I'll yell for Robin to come back and bother you."
"Oh please don't, that man is exhausting. I would rather be in a room with dwarves or fairies."