a thief and a hero

I haven’t posted here in forever. I think it’s safe to say this blog is on hiatus. I may come back. I want to come back. Maybe finishing the series would help get my muse back. 

But I quit OUAT in January when I found new inspiration and new love. OUAT wasn’t good for my mental health so I had to take steps to protect myself - my mental health, myself, and my heart.

I’m sorry for stories left unfinished. Perhaps one day we can write together again. You’ve all been so wonderful. My Regina muse was so strong for years and I will always cherish these stories and moments we’ve shared together. 

If anyone wants to write with me and/or follow me on my other tumblr, it’s @broadwayqueenregal. Keep in touch, if you’d like. 

Or perhaps I’ll turn this into a Regina tribute blog. We shall see. I’ll never delete this. 

In the days without her, Robin missed her terribly. If she slept it was by his side, but he spent most of his time alone or with her father. Henry was kind, and seemed supportive of their relationship. Henry told him that he was glad that Regina had found happiness and love again. 

Robin got to know the castle well and wandered down to the throne room and found his love in her chair. It was very early in the morning, far too early to be awake.

“Regina,” he said softly, and knelt in front of her. He took her hands. “Come to bed, love. I miss you. You look so tired.” 

The bandit was out there somewhere, Regina knew it. The girl was taunting her, leaving her false trails and packing up before every first light. She would make it impossible for the queen to ever find her, and knew that Regina wouldn’t rest until she was dead. This was a game of cat and mouse, and it was a game Regina hated to be losing.

But she couldn’t give up. If she did, their safety wasn’t ensured. Snow would be out to dethrone her as soon as the chance arose, and with Robin at her side now, Regina knew he would be a target for the princess’s plots. They just needed to find the brat and get rid of her, once and for–

“Your…your mother killed him? So you could marry me? Regina…” Robin frowned. “I can’t imagine…I don’t deserve you, you don’t deserve that pain, and he didn’t deserve to die…” 

He wanted to say that he wished Daniel could be alive, and of course he didn’t wish anyone’s death, but he knew if Daniel had been alive Regina would want to go back to him. Robin was human after all, and couldn’t help but be a little selfish. He was glad Regina was with him. But not at the expense at another man’s life. 

Robin hesitated and then wrapped his arms around her. “I promise I’ll do anything to make you happy. That’s all I can say, after all you’ve been through. I’ll do anything for you.” 

Shaking her head, Regina tried to banish the old pain from her mind. It wasn’t fair to linger on it the way she was, and certainly she could not ask that her husband mourn in the same way she had not been able to. This was her life now, there was no way to change that; staying trapped in the sorrows of her past wasn’t how she wanted to spend the morning, anyways.

“I imagine you’re not as much of a stranger as you think. If you’re my soulmate then we’re meant to be together and you’re all I’ve ever wanted, and I’m…all you ever wanted too. It means you feel like home to me, doesn’t it? So why wouldn’t we run away together, why wouldn’t we want to be together and free?” Robin grinned. “This gives me purpose, something to live for.” He reached for her hands. “I’d love to get to know the woman I’m supposed to love more than anything.” 

Run away? Oh, Regina would love that more than anything. A life free of royal responsibilities, the King, and his brat of a daughter, was all she ever wanted. If Robin really was willing to find such a life with her, then she would never be able to turn him away.

“That sounds nice…sailing away to a fresh start, where we won’t be wanted and we hopefully won’t be as poor.” He grinned. “Hopefully sooner rather than later.” 

The bed was small but he knew they both could fit. “We could make it work,” he said. “And you will absolutely  not be sleeping on the floor. As if a gentleman would allow his lady to sleep on the floor. We can share, but we will have to be close. I certainly don’t mind being close to you all night…” He grinned and leaned in and kissed her. 

“Both those things would be nice.” Regina admitted with a laugh, “We could get a little cottage by the sea…and want for nothing. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” 

“Well the only thing I was dishonest about was my reason for going to the ball in the first place. The rest of it was sincere. I’m not very good at pretending. I know that’s hard to believe, but it’s true.”

Robin frowned. “I apologize for the inconvenience, your majesty. I suppose I was mistaken because I thought you did need a friend.” He nodded. “I’ll take a task, sure.” 

He listened intently to her. “A spindle of gold, you’ve got it. I’ll be glad to help you with anything. Now it must be pure gold, not just gold in color, correct?” 

Rolling her eyes, Regina brushed off his remark and continued on. “Of course it’s true. The words of a thief are, after all, nothing but trustworthy.” she said sarcastically, though she said nothing about friendship. It was not this man’s place to speak of her private life, however accurately he described it. Lonely or not, she would admit nothing to him.

“You deserve to be spoiled, my lady. You are by far the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he said. He carried her to her bed. “I believe I have extra dresses in this wardrobe. He opened it and pulled out a nightdress for her, and showed her the other gowns. I hope these fit. You can stay with us for as long as you wish.”

He grinned, completely under her spell. Her beauty, her figure, and those fluttering eyelashes - it was driving him mad already. “My goodness, yes, please join me. I’d be honored.”

The prince returned to her side and kissed her hand. “Goodnight, dear lady.” 

If that was truly the case, then Regina would use her looks to her advantage. Let them be the trap she would lay for this man, and when he finally caved to his desires, she would be ready to strike. Zelena would be avenged, and she would be able to return home without a problem.

Reclining against the bed, which came with the oddest assortment of comforts she had ever seen, Regina managed a smile. “They look perfect, your highness. Thank you once again. I promise, your kingdom will be repaid in full for your generosity! I will be certain to see you at breakfast, then…goodnight!”

Robin collapsed into bed and curled up under his blankets. Tomorrow would be glorious. An entire day spent with her.

~My muse will get lost in the woods with yours. 

“…this is all your fault.” Regina muttered darkly, dragging her gown and cloak over yet another patch of brush. Had it not been for this idiot thief, she could be back at the camp site with morons one and two, and at least warm around a fire as opposed to freezing her ass off in the middle of the Enchanted Forest.

“I thought you ‘Merry Men’ were supposed to know your way around the Forest…why the hell can’t you get us back on track?”

“You don’t want me to guard the door while you’re gathering supplies, your majesty?” Of course he’d do anything she asked. “Come up…later? Well, alright.” 

It was an odd request, but he’d obey. Still, he was worried about her. They reached a door. “I assume this is it?” 

“I don’t need a guard. I can take care of myse–” Regina cut off short when they approached a door, strewn ajar as if someone had forgotten to close it. Such a sight made her eyes widen, and she peered inside worriedly.

“I’m sure you’re not alone. And if you are…that’s so sad. I wish I could do more to help you,” he said. “I shouldn’t say such things…against your situation and your husband. But I can’t imagine being stuck somewhere so unhappy.” 

He nodded. “Oh yes, of course we can swim in it,” he said. “I didn’t think  you’d want to…but I do it all the time here. The water’s even kind of warm, surprisingly. Can you swim, Regina?” 

Regina shook her head, a sign of her own displeasure with the topic, as well as assurance that Robin was alright. “It’s no trouble…I certainly won’t tell him what you said,” she teased gently, “but I can’t say I disagree with all of it…it’s…it’s not the life I would have chosen.”

She would much rather be out here, in the forest, perhaps tending to some horses and working in a garden. It felt more freeing, more rewarding, than being stuffed up in the castle all day. 

He transformed into himself, and stood before her. He pulled her in for a better kiss. “About time, Regina,” he said. “That went on far too long. Although, I hope you found me a rather adorable frog. I tried my best to be cute for you.” 

He grinned. “You are wonderful. I’d love to meet your father and explore the palace. I will miss you, but I know I will see you every day. I’m the luckiest man in the world. I get a life of luxury and I get to be with you. What more could I want?” 

He truly couldn’t wait to see the castle grounds and to begin this life here. But even more than that, he couldn’t wait for their holiday. 

“Perfect. I’ll send for him then, he’ll be delighted to meet you.” Regina soothed, “I won’t be away long, love. Have a wonderful day.”

It was a rather ironic send off, as Regina herself had quite the opposite. Over the days that followed, she found herself most often distracted by news of Snow White, running rampant in the countryside and always staying one step ahead. The queen couldn’t stand to hear of the girl’s freedom, and though the promise of her holiday hung over her shoulder, she found she could not relax until Snow had been dispatched. She still had to pay for what she had done.

Robin got to know the castle well and wandered down to the throne room and found his love in her chair. It was very early in the morning, far too early to be awake.

“Why would I be upset, milady?” he asked. “You’re sweet and you’re beautiful. I have nothing to look forward to. I have nothing to complete me. You’re not intruding, you’re giving me a reason to live, a reason to be happy. Something to fight for and to live for.”

Robin scoffed and looked around. “I sit in a bar with some drunken friends, after stealing from the rich and giving to the less fortunate. I have no one but these friends - but I craved something more. Then you walked into this tavern, and now you’re turning my world upside down. This is everything I never knew I needed.”

Regina could barely find the strength to lift her head when the question came drifting through the room. She knew she’d fallen into ruin in the time she’d been taken hostage, but perhaps Robin– who she’d never expected they’d let down there to see her– would be a better judge of that. He would have been the first to see the Queen, other than the bastards who had jumped her on her evening ride, to see her in quite some time.

“Because I know you better. That’s how I love you. I know what you’ve done and you can’t change the past. You can only change what choices you make now and in the future. You were in pain, Regina. I know you. You felt this was the only way - you were in pain, so you caused it. I forgive you. Not everyone will forgive you, but I do. Because I’ve seen the love in your heart, I’ve seen what you’re capable of - the love you give. All you’ve ever wanted is love.” 

Robin shook his head and wiped away her tears. “You deserve happiness, Regina. Not the pain you’ve been given your whole life. And you certainly don’t deserve to die. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Regina. I love you, Regina. I love you more than anything.” 

There was no changing his mind, then. Regina could see that now. Robin would be stuck in his ways as much as anyone, only he believed in her while the rest of the world did not. The number of times she’d been scorned, threatened, cast aside, and hunted down were too much to count, but the amount of times she had been loved were few and far between. No matter what the thief told her, she would never truly understand why he stayed. But it was clear enough that he had no desire to leave her, and she would allow that.

“Of course, of course. You’re welcome to anything. I’m sure we have something in your size. You needn’t worry about compensation. I’m glad to help you. Truly, it’s my pleasure.” Robin swept her off her feet and carried her the rest of the way to her room. “If I’m to be king, the least I can do is help out a maiden in need.” 

He pushed open the door to a luxurious guest bedroom. Everything from the floor to the ceilings, to the bedding and the decor was the color of the ocean - blues, greens, teals - with touches of silver and gold. “Do you love it?” He set her down on the bed. “I suppose this is goodnight, then. I shall see you tomorrow?” 

“Oh, sire, you spoil me. Thank you, truly. My kingdom and I are indebted to you and your kindness.” Regina gushed, laying on the compliments as heavily as she could. She needed this prince to fall for her, and fast, or at least lust after her quickly enough that she could move his downfall along. Of course she would have to do it when they were alone, but tonight was not the night. There would be too many rumors, and far too many witnesses.

She allowed Robin to carry her down the hall, escorting her to a luxurious suite that reminded her very much of her home. With a twinge of sorrow, she thought of how Zelena would have loved to see this place; the two of them had always been fascinated by the world above them.

He grinned, completely under her spell. Her beauty, her figure, and those fluttering eyelashes - it was driving him mad already. “My goodness, yes, please join me. I’d be honored.”

“We’re still newlyweds. I think staying in bed together is expected of us, if I’m to be honest,” he said. He grinned when she kissed him, glad she was beginning to give him affection. 

He shook his head. “I appreciate your honesty. You didn’t…upset me. I’m upset at myself…after what I’ve done. After I made you marry me, after I made you sleep with me. Regina, I’m so sorry. I fell for you so hard, I love you so much already. I never imagined you were missing someone. I was a fool, Regina. I’m so sorry. I should’ve waited until you were ready…I feel so horrible. My heart aches for you - that you lost someone you loved so much. But what I said - my heart is yours, and anything you need, anything you desire, it’s yours.” 

He opened his arms for her, to hug her. “I’m sorry, love. I’m sorry for all your pain, I’m sorry that you were forced to marry me even though you love someone else.” 

Regina listened to Robin’s apology, biting her lip to keep from blurting out while he spoke. She understood everything he said, and while it was kind of him to comfort her in this way, she knew he wasn’t entirely to blame. 

“…it’s not your fault, Robin.” she whispered, shaking her head quickly, “Y-You…you didn’t know. According to my mother, you were never supposed to know. She…she was the one who set this up, the one who…who killed Daniel.” It was a dangerous truth to admit, but it was part of the story she couldn’t leave out. Robin could not take the blame for actions he had never even witnessed, she wouldn’t let him.

He wanted to say that he wished Daniel could be alive, and of course he didn’t wish anyone’s death, but he knew if Daniel had been alive Regina would want to go back to him. Robin was human after all, and couldn’t help but be a little selfish. He was glad Regina was with him. But not at the expense at another man’s life.