Chapter 26: A Dark Cloud
Robin had worried that he was riding into a trap of some sort even before he left for Fort Nott. His gut told him there was more to Keith's demands and hunger strike beyond stubbornness and his desire to make his cousin's life miserable. Lady Wellingsbury agreed and had tried to argue with the others to let him stay. The others, though, didn't want to risk that Keith would starve himself before they could interrogate him and had left Robin no choice but to retrieve his cousin.
From the moment he left his chambers, his heart told him to turn back and stay with Regina until their son came. He forced himself to keep going and he rode hard to Fort Nott, hoping he could retrieve Keith and return home quickly.
His cousin, of course, had other plans.
Even with Robin there, Keith refused to ride a horse back to Locksley. He had looked up at Robin, eyes cold, as he declared: "If you are bringing me back a prisoner, cousin, then do it properly. Put me in a wagon with bars and parade me through the streets. Let the people know what you do to your own family if they disagree with you."
"I can handle disagreements," Robin told him, keeping his voice even. "I welcome them for they can allow me to see things in a new way. You, though, are undermining me and plotting harm to my family and myself. Your family, I add. So don't think of yourself as some martyr. No one will see you as one."
He left his cousin in his cell, asking John to find a paddy wagon to transport Keith. It didn't take long before his captain assured him one had been secured and that it would arrive at Fort Nott in a couple days. Robin penned a quick note to his mother, sending it with the fort's fastest rider to let everyone—especially Regina—know he would be home soon.
Robin then went down to tell Keith. "You will soon be paraded through Locksley as the criminal you are."
"And will you be leading the parade?" Keith asked, smirking at him as he sat in the cell.
"No," Robin replied, getting a thrill from denying him that. "I am leaving ahead of you so I can go home to my wife. I've been away from her for far too long."
Keith smirked. "Ahh, yes, she's due to give birth to your first child any day now. It would be a shame if you missed the birth. And given how dangerous it can be for women, it would be terrible if you weren't there for your wife's last moments."
A chill went down Robin's spine but he kept his scowl in place as he stared down to his cousin. "The paddy wagon will be here in two days' time. You'll leave at first light on the third day. I will see you in Locksley, cousin."
He somehow managed to walk out of the room calmly. Once the door closed behind him, though, he raced to his room. "I want my horse prepared immediately," he told John. "I leave now."
John frowned. "What is the urgency?"
"I need to get back to my wife," Robin replied, gathering up his few supplies. "Something is not right."
"What do you mean?" John asked, looking concerned.
Robin sighed, running his hand through his hair. "It's something Keith said. He didn't make any specific threats but something is going to happen to Regina, I just know it."
"You think he has allies in the palace?"
"I don't know if I'd call them all allies," Robin replied, thinking of the poor maid who had been ordered to do the Ellises' bidding. "But there are people who will do what Nottingham, Keith and the Ellises want done."
John nodded, handing Robin his bag. "Then go. We'll handle Keith."
"Thank you," he replied, clasping his captain's shoulder. "I'll see you in Locksley."
"And hopefully when I do, you'll be a father," John replied with a smile.
Robin smiled as well, picturing Regina holding their baby boy. "Hopefully. And hopefully, Regina is there too."
Robin left Fort Nott and rode hard toward Locksley. Summer was almost upon Sherwood and he took advantage of the longer periods of daylight to cover more ground. He only stopped once it got too dark and left at first light, taking only a few breaks to water himself and his horse. It allowed him to ride into Locksley two days after leaving Fort Nott rather than three but he could not feel any relief as he crossed into the palace's courtyard, not until he saw his wife.
A stable hand took his horse once Robin dismounted, bowing to him. "Welcome home, Your Majesty."
"Thank you," Robin said, patting Outlaw's neck. He left the horse in the young man's hands as he walked as fast as he could into the palace's kitchens.
Startled servants jumped up, staring at him with wide eyes. They then started moving around the room to no doubt get food ready for him. "Your Majesty! We weren't expecting you to come home tonight!" one said.
"Are you hungry?" another asked. "We can set the table and get you something to eat."
"Can you send it to my rooms? I am in a hurry," he said, only slowing down to make the request. He didn't hear the answer as he bounded up the stairs, eager to get to his rooms—and to Regina.
Robin opened the door to his rooms and stopped short. Will and Ana both stood from his couch, looking solemn. Aunt Eleanor straightened up in the armchair, trying to force a smile onto her face. "Robin! You're home," she said, voice shaking.
"Yes," he said, growing concerned and suspicious. "What is going on?"
Mother approached him, a bundle of blankets in her arms. A lump formed in his throat as she tilted the bundle, showing him the tiny face of the baby swaddled in the blankets. "Congratulations, Robin. You have a son."
"Henry," he whispered. Mother placed his son in his arms, helping him to cradle him and support his head. Henry wiggled in his hold, adjusting to the new pair of arms. Though he raised his tiny hand, rubbing his face as his little pink lips smacked together, he continued to sleep, now safe in his father's arms.
Robin studied him, using a finger to trace everything he could touch. He ran his finger over Henry's hand, counting each of his little fingers, before tracing his face. Robin then counted all the other fingers on Henry's other hand before returning his hand to the baby's back, fingers grazing his soft wisps of brown hair. Henry was a comfortable weight in his arm and feeling his breath was already soothing Robin's frazzled nerves.
When he saw Regina, he didn't think he would ever fall in love so fast and feel it so intensely. As he gazed at the baby boy they created, though, he realized he was very wrong. Tears filled his eyes as he kissed his son's forehead. "I love you, my boy," he whispered.
"He's beautiful, Robin," Mother said, rubbing his back. "He has all ten toes and all ten fingers, good reflexes and a healthy appetite."
"And a powerful set of lungs," Will added, drawing a few chuckles from the other family members in the room.
Robin looked up from Henry, smiling widely. "How's Regina?"
The mood changed and everyone looked away, unable to meet his eyes at that point. They all grew somber and his stomach twisted into knots as he recalled Keith's words back at Fort Nott. Had the worse happened? Had he gained his son but lost his wife?
Mother took Henry from him and placed the baby in Aunt Eleanor's arms. She then took his arm. "Come. I'll take you to her."
His heart jumped into his throat and pounded there as Mother guided him into his bedroom. The air was heavy in the room and a fire roared in the hearth, lighting up the room along with the other candles placed around the chamber. Tuck and Widow Lucas had been conferring in a corner but stopped when he entered, which concerned him greatly. Tink backed away from him, her head hung low, while Prince Henry stood up from beside the bed, wringing a damp cloth in his hands.
Looking at the bed, Robin's stomach turned. Regina lay there, her skin ashen but her brow fevered. Her hair stuck to her skin and beads of sweat trickled down her face. She was still breathing but it sounded like each breath was a struggle, stabbing his heart each time he heard the wheezing sound she emitted. Robin staggered over to her, sitting on the edge of the bed as he took her hand in his.
"What happened to her?" he asked, his voice sounding strangled.
Widow Lucas stepped forward, Tuck not far behind her. Tink, though, spoke first. "It's all my fault."
She fell to her knees at Robin's feet, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared at the floor. "I should've checked the tea. I accept whatever punishment you see fit for failing to protect my queen."
"It wasn't her fault," Widow Lucas protested, her voice firm with her conviction. "She did nothing wrong giving the tea to the queen."
Robin looked over at her as Tuck nodded. "We examined the tea leaves and found it is cotton root bark, which is not poisonous. Nothing would've happened had Tink tried it nor would it have been deemed dangerous had it been identified."
"Not dangerous," he said, glancing down at his feverish wife. Her eyes never opened despite the conversation going on around her.
"For the most part, it's not," Widow Lucas replied. "Some midwives give it to women to help them induce labor when the babe is late in making its entrance into this world. It can also lead to some painful contractions but can speed up labor."
Her words were like daggers to his heart. "Painful? Is that why she is like this? The contractions were too painful?"
"I think the contractions weakened her," she replied, wording her response carefully. "The reason I don't advise women I tend to drink cotton root bark tea is that it can cause heavy bleeding after the birth. Since I can never know who will experience it, I feel it best to have women do other things to induce labor."
"Bleeding?" Robin felt the warmth drain from his face.
Widow Lucas nodded. "It was too heavy and I couldn't staunch it easily. Tink went for Tuck and the royal physician. Together, the three of us were able to get it under control. Unfortunately, that weakened her even more and she grew feverish within hours."
"Infection?" Robin asked, familiar with the possibility from time spent under Friar Tuck's tutelage.
Tuck nodded. "I've applied some herbs to where the infection is, following Widow Lucas' guidance, and we've been feeding her some healing herbs in a broth. Otherwise, we're making sure the fever doesn't burn too hot, trying to keep her cool and praying it breaks soon."
"How long has she been like this?" Robin's mind felt like it was spinning out of control as he tried to process everything.
"Henry was born early in the morning two days ago," Mother told him. "She developed the fever a few hours later, just before noon."
Robin did the math in his head, realizing that Henry was born the day after he left Fort Nott. He never would've made it on time then to both witness the birth and keep his wife safe. The fact broke his heart as he reached out, brushing some damp locks from Regina's face. "Will she get better?"
"No one can say," Tuck replied sadly. "That is going to be up to her body. We're giving it everything it needs to fight the infection but the fact she was already weak to begin with doesn't work in our favor."
He nodded, understanding the severity of the situation. Regina, though, was one of the strongest people he knew. If anyone could fight this infection off, it was her. As tears rolled down his cheeks, he leaned closer to her. Heat radiated off her and he closed his eyes, trying not to imagine the worst before whispering: "Get well soon, my love. Henry and I need you."
"Come on," Mother said softly, helping Robin up. "We'll talk more in the parlor."
"I'll take care of her," Prince Henry promised, squeezing his shoulder. He then took a seat again, dabbing Regina with the damp cloth in order to cool her.
Robin followed his mother out of the room, Tink following them as well. She once again fell to her knees before him. "I am still awaiting your punishment for failing my queen."
Mother pulled him aside before he could respond, urgently whispering: "Trina feels very guilty over the whole affair no matter how many times we told her it wasn't her fault. She served her queen well. She got Widow Lucas as fast as she could and has barely left Regina's side."
He nodded and approached Tink, his mind still a jumble as he processed all he learned in the past few minutes. Yet, he knew one thing and he gently lifted the maid to her feet. "I know you feel guilty for not noticing the tea was swapped but it does seem like something that would not have alarmed anyone. You also did what I expected—you helped your queen and stayed by her side. You have my gratitude, Tink, not my condemnation."
She sobbed, hugging him. "I just wish there was more I could do for her. She's my friend."
"I know," he replied, comforting her as he felt himself losing control as well. He hugged her back as tight as possible. "I wish I could do more for her too."
"Trina, why don't you head back to your quarters? You've only napped at Her Majesty's bedside. You need a good night's sleep," Mother told her, gently pulling her away from Robin.
Tink shook her head, sniffling. "What about the prince? I need to stay with him."
Mother shook her head. "He is surrounded by family members ready to take care of him. You can go sleep and then help care for him when you're more rested."
"I can make it a royal order if it'll make you feel better," Robin offered, giving her a soft smile in hopes of cheering her up.
Tink shook her head, still upset. "You don't have to go that far. I'll go get some sleep and then I'll be back in the morning."
"Good night, Tink," Robin said, suddenly feeling tired himself. He rubbed his face and he felt his body start to sag.
Mother held him up. "You should get some rest too. Why don't you go sleep in my room tonight?"
He shook his head. "I don't want to go too far from Regina. What if she needs me?"
"She's surrounded by people who love and care for her," she assured him. "She would rather you get some sleep than run yourself ragged for her sake and you know it."
Robin sighed, knowing Mother was right. "I will go get some rest. But I will back first thing in the morning."
"That's all I ask," Mother said, kissing his cheek. "Do not worry, Robin. Regina will pull through this. I just know it."
He nodded, turning to leave his rooms and go to his mother's. Robin wished he could be as optimistic as she was but there was a pit in his stomach keeping him from believing her. Adding to that was a little voice, one that sounded like Keith, taunting him that he couldn't save his wife and that it was all his fault for leaving.
Robin woke early the following morning. It took his mind a few seconds to process that he wasn't in his own bed and to pull up the image of Regina lying in their bed, pale yet drenched in her own sweat. He pushed back the blankets, eager to see his wife and to assure himself that she was still alive.
He entered his room to find Will sound asleep on the couch. A strange woman sat in a chair in the corner, Henry at her breast. Robin frowned as he approached her, wondering what she was doing with his son and ready to throw her out. How dare she take Regina's place?
Aunt Eleanor appeared by his side, placing her hand on his arm. "She's a maid in the kitchens and had a baby of her own a few months ago. She offered to nurse Henry. It was either a wet nurse or goat's milk in a waterskin. This is better."
Robin swallowed his anger, knowing his aunt was right. He needed to be angry at the people who hurt Regina, not the people who were trying to help while she fought off her illness he reminded himself as the woman handed Henry to Tink. As Tink patted his back, the woman adjusted her dress and stood up. She curtsied to Robin. "I want to say it is an honor to nurse our future king but I hope Her Majesty recovers soon so she can nurse him herself."
"Thank you," he said, voice thick with emotion. "We appreciate everything you are doing for His Highness."
The woman left the room as Tink returned with Henry. She rocked him as she patted his bottom. "I am going to go change him," she told Robin.
"Can…Can you show me how to do that?" he asked her, looking at his son. "I want to be a hands-on father, like mine was."
"I would be honored. Follow me," she said, heading over to a flat surface not far from the wooden cradle with the Locksley family crest carved into the headboard. Every prince and princess of Sherwood had lain inside it and he still couldn't believe his own son now slept there.
Robin watched as Tink changed Henry's diaper, noticing she always tried to keep something between her and the babe as if shielding herself. "Is something wrong?"
"I've been around baby boys before," she replied. "They tend to pee and don't care who gets sprayed. You should be careful."
"I'll keep that in mind," he said, doubting that would ever really happen.
Once Henry had on a fresh diaper, Tink showed Robin how to swaddle him. He picked the baby boy up, cradling him with a smile. "Do you feel better, my boy?"
Henry yawned before closing his eyes. He rolled closer to Robin's chest, falling back asleep as his father chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."
Aunt Eleanor smiled softly as she watched him. "You remind me so much of your father. He wanted to do everything for you too. If he could, he probably would've nursed you."
"That…is an image I didn't need," Robin replied, scrunching up his nose as the image of his father holding a baby to his chest rose up.
She chuckled, holding out her arms for Henry. "Here, give him to me. I'll put him to sleep while you check on Regina."
His heart sank as he thought of his wife. Robin swallowed, handing Henry to his aunt. He then leaned down, pressing a kiss to his son's forehead. "I love you, my boy," he whispered.
Straightening up, Robin walked into his bedroom. Prince Henry dozed in a chair next to the bed and Widow Lucas encouraged Regina to drink some broth, though his wife barely woke up to do so. He frowned as he approached them. "Is that safe?"
"It is," Widow Lucas confirmed, pulling bowl back. "We have a way to make certain she swallows. She needs the nourishment and the herbs Tuck hopes will fight the infection."
He nodded, taking Regina's hand. It was limp and clammy and she was still too pale for his liking. Sweat coated her skin, making her hair and shift stick to her skin. Robin frowned. "Has her shift been changed recently?"
"Not since yesterday," Widow Lucas replied. "She is sweating so much it's hard to keep them fresh."
"Let me get her a clean one. Can you draw a cool bath for her? We should try to clean her," he said, starting to pull back the blankets covering Regina.
The older woman nodded, hurrying from the room. Robin slid his arms underneath his wife's body, frowning at the heat rolling off her. He picked her up and held her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "We're going to get you well again, my love," he whispered to her. "I promise."
She didn't give him any response. Instead, she just lay limply in his arms as he carried her into the bathroom. Widow Lucas helped him get her shift off and they then slid her into the cool water. Regina's head lolled to one side but her chest continued to rise, which gave Robin some comfort.
He kept himself busy, reaching for the shampoo he knew she preferred. Robin washed her hair tenderly, massaging her scalp and digging his fingers through her beautiful curls. He poured water over her hair and into a basin placed underneath her head, letting all the sweat wash out of her hair. Some part of her knew her hair was clean now, he believed, and it would help her feel better.
"Do you think this is helping her?" he asked Widow Lucas, looking for confirmation of his belief.
She nodded. "It'll help cool her down and probably helps make her feel normal, even if she doesn't know it."
"I hope so," he replied, gently caressing Regina's face. She still didn't respond to his touch.
At Widow Lucas' urging, he lifted Regina from the tub and together they wrapped her in a warm towel. He carried his wife back into their bedroom, hating how she felt more like a doll than a person. Usually she curled up against his chest or wrapped her arms around his neck and he missed the contact as he laid her down in bed.
They changed her into a fresh shift and Robin tucked his wife back into bed, kissing her forehead. "Continue to fight, my love," he whispered. "I'll be right here by your side."
"Robin?" Will's voice made him grimace as he knew it meant he might have to break that promise to her already.
When he looked up, Will grimaced and looked apologetic. "The council is requesting your presence. They want to know what happened with Keith."
Robin grinded his teeth before glancing down at Regina. He shook his head. "Tell them my wife is sick. I will brief them on what happened when she is better."
"They seemed very insistent," Will said, looking nervous.
"I don't care," Robin replied, sitting down next to his wife. "My message is unchanged. I will summon them when I am ready to talk to them. And if any of them try to come in here to bother me, I want them turned away. Post guards at the door if you have to."
Will's eyes widened but he bowed. "As Your Majesty commands."
He left the room and Robin turned to Widow Lucas, noticing how weary she looked. "You should get some rest. I'll sit with Her Majesty," he told her.
"Thank you," she said, curtsying. "I will return in a little bit."
She left and Robin turned his attention back to Regina. He brushed away some of her wet hair, kissing her fevered brow. "It's just you and me, sweetheart.
"Henry is beautiful," he told her, smiling. "Whenever I hold him, I can't believe we created him. I never want to let him go."
He paused, swallowing down fresh tears. There was still so much he didn't know about Henry's birth. Was Regina able to hold her son before the fever over took her body? Did she get to study his face and run her fingers over his tiny hand? Was she able to look in his eyes?
"I hope you saw him," he told her. "I hope you got to hold him. He grew inside you for nine months, it would only be right for you to have gotten a chance to do all of that. You should be nursing him, rocking him, changing him, singing him to sleep…You're his mother. He needs you. I need you."
Robin took her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing each one of her fingers. He then pressed it against his cheek, ignoring how clammy her palm felt. "Come back to me, Regina. Please," he whispered.
He then laid his head down on her body and sobbed, his tears soaking the blanket covering her still form.
Someone gently shook Robin. He lifted his head from the bed, his cheek feeling like it was on fire and his neck aching. Rubbing it, he blinked away the sleep from his eyes and noticed the sun's rays had changed their angle, indicating time had passed. He didn't know how long he had slept for and his stomach clenched as he worried something had happened to Regina while he had been asleep. Glancing at her, though, he was assured she had not taken a turn for the worse—but she hadn't improved either. She continued to sleep, still fighting the fever ravishing her body.
"Robin, it's time for the midday meal," her father said softly. "Why don't you come out and have something to eat?"
He shook his head, taking Regina's hand again. "I'm not hungry. You all eat without me."
"Robin, don't do this. Regina wouldn't want you to neglect your own needs and health for her," Henry pleaded. "Please, come eat with us. Tink will sit with Regina for us."
Robin glanced at his wife's face, her eyes still closed and her lips slightly parted. He knew Henry spoke the truth—she would be the first to yell at him for not eating just as he would be the first to make certain she ate. So he rose, kissing her forehead before turning to face Henry. "I'll have something quick to eat but then I am coming right back here to sit with her."
He followed Henry into the next room, where his mother greeted him with a hug. "No change?" she asked in a whisper.
"No," he replied sadly, holding onto her a bit tighter. "I just want her to get better, to wake up and to smile at me again. It's been too long. Henry's almost a week old. One week without his mother."
He pulled back, rubbing his face. "I am trying to keep my hope alive but each day she remains unresponsive and still burning with fever…it's hard, Mama."
It had been years since he called her that but he felt so lost, it was almost as if he was a little boy again. He looked to her for reassurance though he knew his mother couldn't make everything better like she used to…like Henry should turn to Regina to do.
Mother nodded, pain in her own eyes. "I know, my Robin. But you are strong, just like she is strong. You both will make it through this."
"I hope so," he said, feeling tired. He hated to leave Regina's side but perhaps he also needed a nap. As he was constantly told, it would do her no good if he got sick as well.
Robin sat down at the table, looking over the bowl of stew already there. He frowned, his fear of poisoning growing stronger since he learned what had happened to Regina. "Who brought this up?"
"I did," Tink said, stepping forward. "I also tested it."
"Thank you," he replied, dipping his spoon into the thick stew. He knew he couldn't let his guard down—Henry needed both his parents.
Mother rubbed his arm, shaking her head. She glared at the bowl as if it could convey her anger to the ones threatening their family. "You have too much to worry about. It's not fair. You should be celebrating being a new father, not worried that he's going to be orphaned."
He sighed, glancing over at the cradle where Little Henry slept, unaware of the intrigue that surrounded him. "I know."
"Finish your meal and then spend some time with him," she encouraged him. "He needs you just as much as Regina."
Robin nodded. "I'll do just that. But someone needs to sit with Regina. I don't want to leave her alone."
Ana placed her hand over his. "I'll sit with her. She won't be alone."
He thanked her and turned back to his meal, finishing up so he could spend some time with his son and then return to his wife's bedside. Robin wished his family could spend it all together but this was his reality instead.
For now.
After Tink cleaned up their lunch, Anastasia went into the bedroom to sit next to Regina's bedside while everyone else dispersed to get some rest. Robin appreciated all their support and what they were doing to help him and Regina, so he was glad to see them taking care of themselves. He was also glad to be alone with Little Henry, a chance to bond with his son without everyone watching.
He picked the baby up from the cradle, holding him just like Mother had shown him. Little Henry yawned, blinking open his blue eyes. Robin smiled at him, bouncing him slightly. "Hello there, beautiful boy. Did you have a good sleep?"
Robin sat down on the couch with his son, caressing his cheek with a finger. "Your mama did a great job making you. I see a lot of her in you."
Little Henry blinked a couple times before rubbing his face with his hand. Robin chuckled, running his finger over the hand. "They said she was able to see you before she got sick. I don't know if you can remember that but I hope you do. I hope that if the worst happens, you remember how beautiful and amazing your mother is.
"Tomorrow is a special day for you mother and me," Robin continued as he rocked Henry. "One year ago tomorrow, I married your mother and it was the happiest day of my life."
He smiled as he remembered standing at the altar and watching Regina walk down to him on her father's arm. The veil obscured her face but he knew she smiling as hard as he was. It took all of Robin's patience not to force the Abbott to rush the ceremony as he was so eager to call her his wife. When he finally got to say the vows and put the ring on her finger, it felt like a dream.
"She was so beautiful," he told Henry as the babe dozed in his arms. "Her smile lit up the entire cathedral and I was so honored to say I was hers."
Everything felt perfect on that date and he knew in his heart that they were destined to a life of happiness together. He didn't think that life could potentially end only a year later. It wasn't fair. They deserved so much more time together.
Regina deserved so much more time.
She deserved a long life of happiness with him and their son.
His anger flared up again, bringing with it the overwhelming need to make someone pay for what happened to his wife. Mother told him the council was investigating while he kept vigil at Regina's bedside but he knew who was behind it. After all, the culprit had all but told him. He had taunted Robin.
And he was going to pay for what he had done.
"I promise you, Henry," he said, voice low as he lowered his lips to the baby's ear, "that I will avenge what was done to your mother. The people responsible will pay for their crimes. That is my solemn vow to you."
The door opened and Will stepped in, looking nervous. "John and the party from Fort Nott have arrived. Their prisoner has been escorted to the tower and locked in a cell."
It didn't escape Robin's notice that his cousin's name was never uttered and he took some delight in that. He smiled as he stood from the couch. "Thank you, Will."
Will looked nervous, narrowing his eyes as he studied Robin. "What are you going to do, Robin?"
Robin carried Henry over to his cradle, rocking the boy as he continued to sleep. He pressed a feather light kiss to Henry's forehead before laying him down. As he covered the sleeping babe with his blanket, Robin said: "I'm going to talk to my cousin."
"Do you think that's wise?" Will asked, sounding concerned. "You're not in a good place right now, Robin. Not with Regina so sick."
Turning away from the cradle, Robin walked toward the door. Will, though, reached out and stopped him from leaving. "Don't do this, Robin."
Robin tensed up, narrowing his eyes at his friend. "Don't stand in my way, Will. You know I don't like to use my authority over you, but I will if you don't move."
Will, though, stood his ground and shook his head. "We are friends, brothers. I won't let you do something you will regret because you are not in the right mindset."
"My wife is lying close to death," Robin replied, voice low as his anger spiked, "and I know my cousin knows something. I want answers and I want them now. And I will physically move you to get them."
He glared at Will and tension filled the air around them. After a few moments, Will blinked first and moved. "You have until the clock chimes the hour. Then I am telling your uncle and sending him to check on you."
Robin nodded, accepting his friend's compromise. He squeezed Will's shoulder. "Thank you."
"Just don't do anything stupid, please," Will said. "For Regina's and Henry's sakes."
Unable to agree to that, Robin pushed past him and left the room. He turned toward the tower, determined to finally get some answers.
The guard outside Keith's cell stood at attention as Robin approached. "Your Majesty. Are you here to visit Lord Nottingham?"
"I am," Robin confirmed. "Please let me in."
The guard nodded, pulling out the large set of keys that opened every cell in the tower. He found the one for the door he guarded, unlocking it. As he was about to open it, Robin stopped him. "I can do that. Why don't you go take a walk?"
"A walk?" The guard's eyes widened and he looked a bit uncertain. He no doubt was under strict orders not to leave his post but Robin was the king, able to override his other orders.
Robin nodded, knowing he was going to have to convince him it was alright to leave. "You look like you could stretch your legs. Take as long as you need and if anyone gives you grief, send them my way. I will assure them it was a royal order."
"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied, walking away from the door. Robin watched him before taking a deep breath. He opened the door and stepped inside.
Keith lay on his bed, smirking as he stared at the ceiling. "I was wondering when you were going to come visit me, cousin. Tell me—are congratulations in order?"
"Yes," Robin said, staying by the door. "Regina had the baby. It's a boy."
"And were you here for it?"
"I was not."
Keith smirked turned into a triumphant smile as he continued to stare at the ceiling. "Good. That's one memory you'll never have. I am honored to be the one to deny you that."
Robin saw red, thinking of his wife lying in their bed pale and feverish. He didn't know if she would make it through the night and the bastard was gloating. Hatred and anger coursed through him as he pushed away from the wall to approach his cousin.
"You once said that our queens were Locksley kings' greatest weaknesses," he said, surprised by how calm he sounded. He rolled up his sleeves, baring the Locksley crest tattoo on his arm. "I always thought you were wrong but now I realize you were right—just not in the way you think."
Keith sat up, smirking again as he studied Robin. "Really? And in what way do I…"
Robin's fist connected with his cousin's face, silencing him. There was a satisfying crunch that filled the room and Keith's hand flew to his face. Blood trickled through his fingers and when he lowered his hand, blood gushed from his nose and it was starting to swell as it turned an ugly purple color. "What the hell?"
"You're happy?" Robin snarled, grabbing a fistful of his cousin's shirt. He pulled him off the bed, getting right into Keith's face. "You're happy with what you've done?"
Keith smirked despite his broken nose and the blood drying on his skin. "Preventing you from seeing the birth of your son? Yes, I am."
Robin punched him again as he released his shirt, sending Keith flying backwards onto the bed. He stood over his cousin, clenching his fists and his jaw as he glared at him. "Regina is on the verge of death. You're happy about that too?"
"What?" Keith's smirk faded into a frown as he stared up at Robin with an eye that was starting to swell shut.
Anger continued to course through Robin. He was tired of these games, determined to make them end. "The herbs she was given to induce her labor to ensure your fantasy came true caused her to bleed uncontrollably. The midwife and Friar Tuck were able to staunch it but it weakened her, causing fever to take hold. She is lying in our bed, fighting for her life. And you're happy about that?"
Keith struggled to sit up, frowning though his lip started to swell as well. "I didn't know."
"Bullshit!" Robin yelled, picking him up and giving him a good shake. "You expect me to believe that?"
"It's the truth!" Keith shouted, fear flashing in his open eye. "All I was told was to keep you out of the palace long enough so that you missed the birth of your son. I thought Regina was near her time. I didn't know someone was going to help her along."
Robin punched his cousin in the stomach, feeling a sense of joy as he heard the sharp exhale of air it expelled from Keith. He released the man, watching as he crumpled at Robin's feet. "You expect me to believe you didn't know?"
"Yes," Keith said, coughing and spitting up some blood. He wiped it from his mouth. "It's the truth."
Crouching down, Robin snarled: "Then tell me what you do know."
"Not much,' Keith replied with a groan. "I was only told my part of the plan. I was lying low with a family sympathetic to our cause when Father sent me a letter. He instructed me to turn myself in but refuse to return to Locksley unless you escorted me. I was told to keep you out of the palace for a good week so that you would miss the birth of your child."
Robin grabbed his shirt and gave him a good shake. "Why?"
"I don't know," Keith repeated, an answer that was starting to wear on Robin's nerves. "I wasn't privy to the full details of the plan. I just wanted you to be miserable over missing the birth but I imagine the goal was to put the legitimacy of your son into question or something."
"Then your family could try to claim the throne and plunge Sherwood into civil war," Robin realized, horrified.
Keith sneered. "Well, that would be up to you. If you didn't abdicate and give me the throne, all the bloodshed would be on your hands. It may still be."
Robin's blood froze in his veins as he was once again confronted by how serious a threat his cousin was to his throne and the country. He also realized just how much Keith hated him in that moment, truly believing that Robin was unfit to rule and would be responsible for deaths of innocent people if he didn't give up the throne.
"Perhaps," he said, knowing he would not come out any conflict with clean hands. Yet he also knew neither would his cousin. "But yours would be just as red."
"I'm not the one who married some foreign whore," Keith spat.
Robin grabbed his cousin's shirt and threw him across the room. Keith hit the wall with a sickening thud, crumpling to the ground. He curled up as he held his left arm, blood trickling down the side of his face. His arrogance was gone and instead of his constant smirk, fear filled his eyes as he stared up at Robin. It sent a thrill through Robin as he slowly approached him, a smirk of his own on his face.
The door to the cell banged open and Uncle Joseph strode in, a hard look in his eyes. He looked down at Keith and the color drained from his face but a fire burned in his eyes. Reaching out, he grabbed Robin and pulled him away from Keith. "We're going," he said, voice terse.
"I'm not done," Robin replied, trying to break free from his uncle's hold.
Uncle Joseph, though, had a viselike grip on his arm and he got into Robin's face. "Yes, you are. We. Are. Leaving."
The look in his uncle's eyes gave Robin pause and he knew it was best to do what the man said. He looked back at Keith, glaring at him. "She dies, you die. That's not a threat. That's a promise."
Keith curled up into a ball on the floor and Robin felt some satisfaction as he allowed his uncle to pull him from the room. Hopefully his cousin would do some serious thinking about his allegiances and what was best for him.
The door closed and Robin was shoved up against the wall. Uncle Joseph glared at him. "What was that?" he hissed.
"Keith and I were talking," Robin replied, still feeling a high from what had happened. He felt as if he could run laps around the castle and still not be tired.
Uncle Joseph raised an eyebrow. "Talking? Last I checked, you don't need your fists to talk."
"I'm tired of treating him with kid gloves," Robin said, seething. "He's plotted against me and my family. And now my wife is paying the price."
"I know you're upset about Regina but beating Keith close to death is not going to help her," his uncle snapped at him.
He glared at Uncle Joseph. "It's scared him. And I know a bit more than I did before. Someone did that to Regina on purpose."
"Is that the type of king you want to be though? Is that the type of man you want to be? The type of man you want to model for your son?" Uncle Joseph asked, voice low but it felt as if he were shouting.
Robin thought of Henry in his arms, blue eyes fixed on his father. Henry needed someone to guide him through life, to give him a good example on how to live his life. Beating up a man because of anger and grief—even if it was clear that the man was actively trying to hurt his loved ones—was not the good example he wanted to set for his son. Yet he still wanted—needed—to see Keith get punished for what he had done.
"I can't just sit by and do nothing. What kind of example does that set?" he asked his uncle, his voice full of anguish.
He slid down the wall, resting his elbows on his knees. Uncle Joseph knelt next to him, holding onto his hands. "I know you feel helpless, like you can't do anything."
"I can't," Robin pointed out. "I can't fight the infection for her."
Uncle Joseph nodded, understanding in his eyes. "I know. I know it is difficult to watch her lay there and feel unable to do anything. We all feel that way, Robin. We all love Regina."
Robin nodded, knowing his uncle spoke the truth…except for one thing. "There is something I can do. There are people in this court who know the truth of what happened to Regina. Perhaps they also know a way to make her better, to make certain she doesn't die. And even if they don't, they ought to pay for what they did to her. I can do that for her."
"If someone did do this to her purposefully, then they should experience some justice," Uncle Joseph agreed. He then pointed to Robin's bruised hand. "Yet this is not the way to do it." Anger boiled inside Robin and he hit his fist against the wall behind him. Ignoring the pain pounding in his hand, he said: "I'm tired of people telling me how to be king. I am trying to please everyone but, in the end, I'm not pleased with myself."
"Are you pleased with your decision to beat your cousin into a bloody pulp?" Uncle Joseph asked, frowning.
Robin grew quiet. While he had felt a thrill at getting information from Keith and wiping the smirk off his face, all he was left with was a sore hand and a sense of shame. There no doubt was a better way to punish his cousin and get the information he needed but it wasn't going to be by asking politely, hoping Keith would just tell him because of rules he had shown clear disregard for. He needed to find what would work, he just didn't know what.
"Your silence and sour look answer my question," his uncle said, though not with any trace of victory. He just looked sad. "You became king before you were ready and you're still trying to find who you are as king. But I think you've discovered something very important today."
"What's that?" Robin asked, not certain what his uncle meant.
"What kind of king you don't want to be," Joseph said. "You don't want to be a man of inaction nor a man of violence. So now you need to figure out what kind of king and man you want to be going forward."
Robin nodded, rising onto shaky legs. His uncle supported him but Robin shook him off. "I think...I think I want to be alone. Maybe go for a walk. Clear my head."
Uncle Joseph nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. Just be careful. We don't know who else is on their side."
"I will be," Robin assured him. "I'll come in before dark and I'll stay within sight of the guards. I just need some time to myself."
He turned and headed back downstairs, eager to get outside. There was a lot for him to consider but his mind felt like a jumble of thoughts. Hopefully some fresh air and a change of scenery would help him sort it all out.
Robin stared up at his beloved oak tree before pressing his back against its bark. He slid down it until he was sitting on the ground, stretching his legs out in front of him. Leaning his head against the bark, he took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh.
He felt so lost without Regina. It was like he was a boat at sea, being tossed around by stormy waters and looking for a lighthouse to guide him home. Yet the light never shone, never provided clarity.
Fisting his hand again, he could see the bruises forming on his knuckles from when he punched Keith. He had never felt such rage before and he knew Uncle Joseph's fears hadn't been unfounded—he could've killed his cousin for his role in what happened to Regina. Yet he also knew now that it wouldn't have helped much. He had let the council convince him to go get Keith against his better judgment rather than sending the paddy wagon with orders to throw him in there no matter what. Then he wouldn't have had to leave Regina. Maybe that would've deterred the plot to induce her labor and they'd be bonding with Little Henry together. He would have his wife with him.
"Oh, Regina," he groaned, closing his eyes. "I wish I could heal you."
"We all do," Henry Sr. said. Robin opened his eyes again to find his father-in-law standing next to his tree.
Robin tried to get to his feet but Henry shook his head. "Stay where you are. I don't plan on staying long."
"I don't mind," Robin insisted as he finally got to his feet. "Are you getting some fresh air too?"
"No. Your uncle told us what happened with Keith," Henry replied.
It felt as if someone had punched Robin in the gut. He swallowed down some bile, unable to meet his father-in-law's eyes. No doubt the man was disappointed in him. "I lost my temper, yes."
Henry placed his hand on Robin's shoulder, his voice soft and kind when he said: "Can you look at me?"
Robin swallowed, looking up to find caring and understanding in the older man's eyes. Henry smiled. "I understand."
"I just feel so confused," Robin admitted, shaking his head. "I thought I knew who I was as a man and a king but now...I don't know."
"Also understandable," Henry said, confusing Robin.
Frowning, Robin asked: "What do you mean by that?"
"You're young and I don't mean that in a bad way," the older man explained. "You don't have to determine who you're going to be for the rest of your life now. That's always going to evolve as you grow older and gain more experiences. Are you the same man you were a year ago?"
"No, I guess I'm not," Robin replied, blinking a couple times. He was now a husband, a father and a king who had faced many trials in his short reign—including one at that moment.
"And you won't be the same man a year from now," Henry continued. "You will constantly keep growing and keep learning. Who you are as a man and a king will constantly change. You have to let it but you must also determine what your core values are. What you will always fight for. Understand?"
Robin nodded. "I do. Thank you."
Henry then reached into his jacket, pulling out what appeared to be a letter. Turning it over in his hands, he said: "Regina asked me to give this to you should the worst happen. I think you should have this now, though."
"Thank you," Robin said, taking the letter from Henry. He frowned, though, as he studied it. "But why?"
"Because I think you need to read whatever words of wisdom she left for you. She may be asleep, but she can still guide you," he replied.
Robin nodded, pressing the letter to his heart. "Thank you."
Henry stepped back. "I'll leave you to read that in private. Just don't stay out here too much longer."
"I won't," Robin promised, already sitting back down. He broke the seal on the letter and unfolded it, eager to read Regina's message to him.
My dearest Robin,
If you are reading this, it means that the worst has happened and Daddy has kept his promise to give you this letter. I am so sorry that I have left you and I hope that our Henry made it through the birth. When he is older, tell him I'm sorry that I left him too. That I wanted to be there for him, to watch him grow up, but that the Great Being had other plans for me.
Robin frowned. "It wasn't the Great Being. Our enemies took you from us."
Since I am no longer there and I trust you will keep this letter with you for years to come, I want to leave some reminders for you. Whenever you need them, just pull out this letter and take my words to heart.
You are a good and honorable man. You try to see the best in everybody and you value what others have to say. You take counsel and let it help you make your decisions. You also trust your heart and have a strong moral code. All of that together makes you a great king. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Therefore, listen to your heart and your instinct. Don't act against them because those who seem to have more experience and are older tell you it would be better. Just because they may seem wiser or just because you respect them, doesn't mean they will always be right. If you just know it is the wrong decision, then don't make it. In the end, they are not the one who will have to face the people—you as king will.
Finding the balance between taking other peoples' advice and listening to your heart won't be easy but I know you will succeed. And you will be an even better king.
Now, Robin, I want to thank you for loving me. It was the best gift I ever received. For most of my life, I thought love came with conditions—that I had to be perfect in order to be worthy of love. You taught me that all I need to do is be myself and people who will love me won't care about anything else. Thanks to your love, I discovered who I am as a person and I found the inner strength my mother had tried to squash from my childhood. I am a much different person than the one you married last year and I love who I became almost as much as you have loved her. I just regret I will not see who else I could've become by your side—who you would've become—who we could've become.
I also regret I won't be there to help you pass on the lessons you taught me to our son but I know your heart is big enough to love him for both of us. You will be an amazing father and you will raise him to be an amazing man, just like you have been. And if your heart opens to another woman as well, know you have my blessing to love her and marry her. You deserve to be loved and to be happy. I do not want you mourning me your whole life, Robin.
"There will be no one else but you, my love," he said, tears streaming down his cheeks unchecked. "No one could ever replace you."
No matter where I am, I will always be with you and I will always love you. Please tell Henry every day that I love him and that I am with him as well. I will watch both of you so don't make me have to come haunt you. Live your life. Let yourself love. Be happy.
I love you.
Your Regina
Tears drops splattered the paper and Robin pressed it to his chest, not wanting a single word of Regina's to be erased. If those were the last words she ever left him, they needed to be preserved until he could join her. He didn't know when that would be but he knew it would seem longer than it really was without her by his side.
She's not dead yet, a tiny voice told him. You haven't lost her. And you know what you have to do to not lose her. She is right—you are a different person now as well. It's time to do what you know you have to do.
Confidence surged through Robin and he stood, wiping his face. He took a deep breath before heading back into the palace. Climbing up the stairs, he reached his floor and strode to his room. He opened the door and everyone looked up at him, apprehension in their eyes.
Robin took a deep breath before glancing at the closed bedroom door. He worried the apprehension was over telling him something had happened to Regina. "Any change?"
They shook their heads and Ana replied: "She's still asleep and still feverish."
He nodded, realizing why they were so apprehensive. Robin held his hands up. "Relax. I'm not going to fight anyone else tonight."
"You shouldn't have been fighting anyone," Mother replied, coming over to take his hands. Her frowned deepened. "I'm going to get Tuck to tend to these for you."
"You don't have to," he protested but she didn't listen. She headed into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
He sighed as Ana came up to him. "You know, I probably would've punched Keith too," she admitted. "He's had it coming for a long time."
"I did more than just punch him," Robin admitted softly. "I'm very lucky I didn't kill him."
She nodded, taking his unblemished hand. "You may be hurting now but his death would've haunted you later on because no matter what, you are a good man."
Tuck slipped out of the bedroom, frowning at Robin. "Your mother wants me to patch up your hand."
"It's fine," Robin said, trying not to wince as he flexed his fingers. "Mother is worried over nothing."
"Let me look you over for her sake anyway," Tuck replied, motioning to Regina's writing desk. Robin followed him, watching as his tutor dragged over another chair for him to sit in. Once they were situated, Robin let him look over his hand.
Tuck shook his hand and pulled out a tincture from his case. "This should help you. I'll wrap your hand and we'll change your dressings for a couple days. That should be all you need."
"You don't have to worry about me," Robin insisted. "I can take care of myself."
"I may not be your parent, Robin, but I do consider you like a son so I will always worry about you. Especially knowing how you got these injuries," he replied.
He gave Robin a pointed look and Robin felt like a boy caught doing something wrong by his parents. Guilt gnawed at him as he looked down. "I know I shouldn't have lost my temper like that. I just…I just needed someone to pay for what happened to Regina."
"Someone will," Tuck assured him. "And I understand your frustration. You need some way to help Regina. This isn't the way."
"I know. That's why I want you to get Maleficent," Robin told him.
Tuck paused as he wrapped Robin's hand, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Are you certain?"
Robin nodded, glancing at his son as he slept in his cradle. "I promised Henry I would do everything to bring his mother back and I am going to do that. It's time to bring the witches back and we're going to start with Maleficent."
"Then I shall get her," Tuck told him, tying off the bandages. "I will leave at first light."
Robin thanked him and stood, walking over to the cradle. He rested his hand on Henry's stomach, feeling his little chest rise and fall as he slept on. Smiling down, he hoped his plan worked and they would both get who they needed the most.
Regina.
A/N: I hate posting angst around the holidays but I hope you all forgive me as I know you've been waiting for this chapter for a long time. So who was behind switching the tea leaves? What was their ultimate goal? What will Robin do now?
Find out next time! Once again, I'm going to switch POVs between Robin and Regina, so you'll get a peek inside what's going on while she's in her fevered sleep.
I hope everyone has a great weekend and if you're celebrating, a wonderful holiday!
-Mac