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I own no one but my own peopleRegina smiled as Robin twirled her around the ballroom floor. As she looked into his dazzling blue eyes she couldn't help but feel the weight of her problems lifted off her shoulders. Freeing Merlin, helping Emma, pretending to be the savior, the child growing inside Zelena… It all took second place next to staring into his eyes and enjoying the feel of his hands on her as they danced.He pulled her in close and kissed her, sending waves of pure bliss though out her. Everything was forgotten. The music, the people around them, nothing existed outside the two of them.When the kiss broke they realized they had fallen behind in the steps and they both laughed as they tried unsuccessfully to catch back up."May I cut in?"The voice belonged to Percival, the man who had given her the necklace earlier that day. "It would be an honor to dance with the savior."Regina's face fell slightly as she looked back at Robin who seemed like he almost was going to say no before he gave a half-hearted smile and a half bow as if to say 'if you must'.Percival grabbed her hand before he led her away from Robin and into the middle of the hall."I trust you're having a lovely evening?" he asked as he began twirling her around."Oh yes," Regina said with a smile. "Everything is-… Who's that girl talking to my son?" she demanded as he eyes fell on a young brunette talking to Henry."The better question," said Percival, his voice shifting from polite to almost dangerous. "Is who are you?"Regina forced another half laugh again. "What are you talking about?""Let me tell you a story. Many years ago, a boy returned to his village in the enchanted forest to find it ablaze. Villagers screaming. Terror in their eyes. His whole world burning like a funeral pyre."Regina's face had now fallen, and she was stiff as he continued his dance."The boy hid," he continued. "Praying for mercy but none came. Only an angel of death. She slicked through the flames, relishing in the horror she wrought. But before she escaped she saw the boy and amidst the carnage do you know what she did? She smiled at him.""You were the boy," she breathed as she looked at him."And you were the evil queen."Regina took a step back from him, swallowing hard as she glanced around the room, half expecting every eye to be looking at her in hatred. "Who else knows, who have you told?""No one."Her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Why not?""Because." He took a step towards her and she took several of them back, no longer caring about appearances to the crowd. "My plans for you involve far more pain and misery then you are rotting in a dungeon."Regina swallowed hard as he took another step towards her but as if out of nowhere Robin emerged from the crowd and was standing in-between them. Regina grabbed hold of his hand almost out of instinct as she stood behind him. "I'm so sorry, Sir, but I insist on having my date back. I couldn't stand to be away from her for a moment longer, I'm sure you understand."The words were cordial enough, but the look on his face told Percival everything the thief wanted to say.The knight gave Robin a fake smile and a half bow. "Of course. Enjoy the rest of the ball, Locksley." He looked over Robins shoulders and met Regina's eyes. "You too, Savior."With another bow Percival turned and walked away leaving the couple standing in the middle of the ballroom.The second he was out of earshot Robin turned towards Regina who appeared more terrified then he had ever seen. "Are you alright?" he asked, taking hold of both her hands.Regina let out a shaky breath and nodded. "Yeah… yeah he didn't hurt me."The thief wrapped the queen in his embrace, allowing her to put her head on his shoulder."Regina… Regina, you're trembling," he said as he felt her body shiver in his arms. "What's going on?""He knows," she breathed just barely loud enough for him to hear. "We have to tell the others, tell them to meet in our room."Robin nodded, taking the time to kiss the top of her head before he led her over to Snow and David, not letting go of her hand even for an instance.Robin put on his best face, forcing himself to smile in front of Arthur and his queen. "Snow, David, are you enjoying yourselves?""Of course," David answered before turning to Regina. "And may I say you dance beautifully, Regina, you must have had a fantastic teacher.""Yes, she's quite talented. But I came over to ask rather or not I might be permitted to have a dance with the famed Snow White?"It took a moment for Regina to catch onto what Robin was doing but once she did, she forced a smile to her face. "Yes, and David I would be so honored to dance with you as well."The royal couple appeared confused as they looked at one another before turning back to them."It would mean the world to me," Robin told Snow, trying his best to convey the urgency with only his eyes."…Sure…" said Snow as he took ahold of the outlaws outstretched hand, glancing back at David for a moment before Robin led her to a more secluded part of the dancefloor."David?" Regina prompted."Go on and dance with the woman," Arthur told him with a hearty laugh and giving him a playful nudge. "Don't be so shy, Charming."David chuckled and gave Regina a tiny bow. "It would be my pleasure, Regina."The prince took Regina hand and led her onto the dancefloor as well."What's going on?" asked David as the two of them danced rather stiffly. "Is everything alright?""Someone knows," she whispered to him the first chance she got. "Percival, one of the knights. We have to get someplace private and talk about this now."David froze for a moment before he glanced over at Snow whose wide eyes revealed that Robin had just told her that same piece of news as well."Go tell the rest of them," Regina told him as he twirled her, completely ignoring the proper steps. "Then meet us in mine and Robins room.""Why your room?""Because I put a sound proof spell on it the first night we got here, no one will be able to hear us," she told him, almost wanting to laugh at the deep blush that overtook her son in laws face.David cleared his throat and nodded. "I'll meet you two up there in ten minutes."A curt nod and she went over to Robin as Snow made her way over to Emma and Hook. She grabbed hold of Robins hand and without another word they escaped the crowded hall through a side door and made their way up to their bedroom, by far the biggest and most comfortable guest bedroom in Camelot."My guards found Snows cloak in one of the villager's huts," she explained to Robin when they were finally alone. "I- they wouldn't tell me any information on her, one of them actually had the gall to spit in my face." She paced back and forth in the extravagant room. "I gave them so many chances before I-… I mean I shouldn't have done what I did but-.""It was a long time ago, Regina," Robin interrupted her speech. "The person who did those things, it wasn't you.""It WAS me though," she said, tears threatening to spill. "I did it, no one else.""You've changed. You're not the same person you were when you did that." He kissed the top of her head and pulled her in close. "You've grown so much."Regina sniffed and nuzzled against his chest inhaling his scent which had a calming demeanor on her. Even here in Camelot inside a stone castle he smelled of pine and the earth and fresh air, like the forest was apart of him no matter where he went.He was beautiful.They stayed like that until they heard frantic knocking on their door. Robin went to answer it but before he could open it all the way someone barged in."How did he find out?" Hook demanded as he stormed up to the Queen with Emma, David and Snow coming in the room behind him."Killian, calm down," Emma pleaded but the pirate ignored her words."Does he know about Emma? Did he tell anyone else, did you let it slip who you are?"Regina opened her mouth to explain exactly how Percival knew who she was, but Robin stepped in before she could."It doesn't matter how he knows, what matters is that he does. Regina." He turned back towards her, "did he mention anything about Emma being the dark one, did he tell anyone else?"The Queen shook her head. "He just knows I'm the Evil Queen and not the savior, he didn't mention anything about Emma. He didn't tell anyone else."At that information Hook visibly relaxed and wrapped his arm around Emma's waist."Why didn't he tell anyone?" Emma inquired. "He could have Author execute you in a second if he wanted.""He said he didn't want me to rot in a dungeon," she admitted. "He said he 'had a plan that would cause far more pain and misery than that'.""He isn't not going to touch you," Robin said with a certain darkness in his tone. "Not as long as I'm standing."Regina couldn't help the small smile that graced her face as she reached for the thief's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before turning back to the crowd."Of course, he isn't going to hurt her," Snow added, "But Regina, you have to keep up the Savior farce. If they found out Emma is really the Savior and they make her use magic…""I know, I know, she slathers on gold face paint and starts calling people 'Dearie', I got it," the Queen said a bit testily. She sighed, rubbing her forehead in both annoyance and exhaustion. "Can you please just go down there and tell Author that I wasn't feeling well? I don't want to go back down to that ball."Snow frowned at her step mother, feeling her heart break for the woman standing before her. Regina had been having so much fun dancing with Robin and had truly been enjoying herself before this thing with Percival happened.It wasn't fair."Of course," David told her. "You sure you're alright?"With a nod confirming that she was indeed okay, Snow, David, Emma and Hook left the room."I'm sorry," Robin told her the second the door had shut behind the group. "I should never have let him dance with you.""It wasn't your fault," said Regina as she sat down on the edge of the bed and took off her earrings. "He would have let me know one way or the other." She let out a weak laugh as she unpinned her hair and her chocolate brown locks came flowing down. "Besides, you burn down enough villages, eventually someone's going to remember you…"Robin sat down beside her, gently rubbing her back through the soft fabric of the dress. He struggled to think of something that would make her feel better but instead all he could do was allow her to rest her head on his shoulder with her arms wrapped around him.He had no idea that that simple gesture was all she needed.…Robin hated soft beds. When he was a child he had slept on a peasant bed with a firm hard mattress stuffed with straw, then when he lived in Sherwood forest, it was just a bed of hay on the ground. While he lived in the Dark Ones castle he had chosen a few blankets on the hardwood floor rather than the plush luxurious beds the Dark One had.Even in Storybrooke he choose a sleeping bag when he was at his camp and then he pulled out an inflatable mattress when his Queen stayed over. Regina had magicked her own feather down bed to feel like he was sleeping under the stars once more while she enjoyed all the luxury the expensive mattress had to offer.But tonight she had been too exhausted to cast the spell before she went to sleep so he had been tossing and turning all night trying to get comfortable to no avail.Finally, he gave up trying to sleep and instead opened his eyes and turned towards Regina who was sleeping soundly next to him. He smiled softly as his eyes washed over the woman who owned his heart. She was in a silk like gray teddy with her hair sprayed out on the pillow she slept on.She was so beautiful.He kissed her forehead before he got up carefully so that he didn't disturb her, put on a simple white tunic and a pair of brown rough spun trousers and left the bedroom. He headed towards the nearest entrance, needing to smell and see something other than stone walls. Robin needed to see the stars, hear the wind blowing through the trees, smell the fresh air…He needed something to remind him of home.The thief made his way out to one of the courtyards and while he was still surrounded with the gray stone, there was a brisk chill in the air and he could hear the leaves rustling in the trees. He closed his eyes and smiled as a vision came to him.He was in the middle of the forest with Little John standing by his side and Friar Tuck standing on the other side facing the crowd. In front of him were his Merry Men and Regina family sitting on roughly carved logs that resembled benches, dressed in their finest. All around them were the songs that nature played them and tall green trees.Then he saw her. Regina. Dressed in a white gown not befitting a queen marrying a king out of duty but befitting a woman marrying a simple outlaw out of love, with wild flowers in her hands as she made her way down the aisle that was just the forest floor littered with rose petals.But the most beautiful part about her was that smile he dreamed about every night. And it was as big as he had ever seen it…Then there was a knife at his throat and one pointed at his back.Robins eyes shot open and he grabbed at the mans hand and opened his mouth to yell but the sharp steel was pressed further against his skin."One word," Percival growled in the outlaw's ear, "and I cut you ear to ear, Thief."Robin swallowed hard but made no more attempts to speak. He had gotten out of worse scraps than this and his mind raced as he struggled to figure out how to get out of this one."I don't know what kind of spell Regina you under has," the knight snarled, "or if you're just as bad as her and you two deserve each other, but she's going to pay for what she did to my family.""She's not that person anymore," Robin told him, his hands tightening against the man's wrist, "Just talk to her, try to understand her.""I already understand everything about her that I need to understand about that witch," he hissed. "She's a danger to everyone in Camelot and needs to be destroyed."Robin glared ahead of him, feeling both knives press against him tighter. If he tried to move forward away from the knife behind him he would slice his neck open, if he moved away from the knife at his throat he would get stabbed in the back…He could only stand there and take the insults about the woman he loved."Do you know what it's like to watch your home burn? To hear your mother screaming in agony, begging for someone to save her, but you can't get to her because the homes were enchanted so that the doors stayed locked and the windows would remain unbroken? They never even stood a chance…"Robin swallowed hard again. "I'm truly sorry for what happened to you but killing me isn't going to bring them back."Percival laughed at the outlaw's words. "Kill you? My dear dumb thief, I don't want to kill you." He leaned in closer, his lips almost at his ears. "I want to make your queen suffer…"Without another moment wasted Percival let out a loud yell and took the knife from his hostage's throat and sliced Robins arm, making the man cry out in pain and drop to his knees, grabbing hold of his injured arm.It hurt. Far worse than a normal cut should. He wanted to scream out in agony, but he wouldn't give Percival the satisfaction.A strange menacing red light emitted from the wound."Poisoned dagger," the knight bragged, showing the harmless looking knife to Robin who was doing all he could not to pass out from the pain. "That along with the spell I cast earlier in the evening… Tricky little spell, but Merlin has enough potions in his storeroom to make anything really."As if on cue thunder clapped and lightning flashed, illuminating the dark red clouds over the castle."What did you do to me?" Robin snarled as he clutched the strange cut. "What manner of dark magic did you curse me with?"Percival smirked and leaned forward, his eyes wild and crazed. "You wanted to be in love with the savior? You got it…"Before he could question anything further, his mind became foggy and soon after he fell to the floor, whispering out one name before darkness overtook him."Regina…"…"Morning."Robin half opened his eyes to a voice cooed at him before he felt a pair of lips on his."You know we have a few minutes before breakfast," the voice told him as she kissed the crook of his neck, honing on that one spot that drove him insane. "What do you say we finish what we started last night?"Robin wrapped his arms around the woman, kissing her back before he opened his eyes, smiling at the woman he was lying in bed with."Morning to you too, M'lady," he told the woman lying beside him, running a finger down her muscular arm."Come on, Robin, you know I hate when you call me that."The thief chuckled as he nodded, kissing the blonde woman once more, unable to turn away from her light hazel eyes."Sorry, Emma."
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Regina let out a strangled gasp as her eyes flew open.She had been dreaming. Robin Hood had fallen madly in love with her. He was kissing her, in this exact same bed as she wore this exact same teddy. He had wrapped his arms around her slender waist, whispering her name soft and sweetly in her ear.It was disgusting.As if a Queen would ever fall for a forest smelling thief. Besides even if she did find him attractive, Robin Hoods true love was Emma Swan.The Queen sighed as she sat up in the bed, running her hands over her face. She glanced over at the empty bedside, the same view she had woken up to since she killed Graham making her heart ache.She was so lonely. Yes she had Henry but the love of a child and the love of the person who whispered sweet nothings in your ear was universes apart. She wanted to find love. More than anything else.But that was never going to happen for her. Not now, not ever. Not while she was the Evil Queen.No one would ever love her.After she was bathed and dressed, the dress she was wearing reminding her how much she hated the tight constricting outfits and corsets she choose to wear back in the Enchanted Forest, God she missed her pant suits, Regina made her way down to the private dining hall that Arthur had set aside for the Savior and the other travelers.She rolled her eyes to the heavens as she spied Emma sitting in Robins lap with their lips pressed against one another, his hand buried in her long blonde hair."Stop before I throw up," she told the two of them unimpressed as she flopped down opposite Robin.With one last quick peck on the lips Emma got up and sat beside him."Sorry," the blonde told her with a most unapologetic smile.Regina just rolled her eyes at the obnoxiously in love couple. They were even more nauseating then Snow and Charming."So, you left the party rather early," Robin said as he took the pitcher of juice from in front of him and poured Emma a glassful. "Seems a bit rude seeing as the ball was thrown in your honor."Regina held out her own glass, almost out of instinct, trying not to show her disappointment when instead of filling her cup he simply just set the pitcher down in front of her."Yeah well, dancing with half a dozen nameless knights who were falling over themselves to 'have the honor of dancing with the savior' got old real quick," she informed the thief as she poured herself a glass of juice."Yes, but does anyone know she's the Dark One?""Everything's fine.""And they still believe you're the savior and not some murderous little royal?""Robin," Emma chided, being met with a twinkle in his dazzling blue eyes and a smirk.Regina gave Robin a dead eyed smirk for a moment. "No. Nobody knows.""Good. Then we can get on with find a way to cure Merlin and save Emma." With that he leaned over and kissed the true Savior once again.Regina just turned away and looked down at the floor, trying her best not to let her envy and sadness be as evident on her face as it was on her heart."Good morning," Snow announced herself cheerily as she and David walked into the dining hall. David walked over and clapped Robin on the shoulder before the two of them sat down at the table."Regina," the Prince greeted the brown eyed woman with a curious nod. "How was your night, you left early."Regina rolled her eyes to the ceiling. Didn't these insufferable idiots understand if someone leaves a function early, it probably means they weren't having a good time?"Balls aren't meant for single people," she informed them. "Just sitting there watching people in love dance with their true loves while you have no one… Gets pretty boring after a while.""I saw half a dozen of Arthur's knights ready to duel just to get close to you," said Snow almost offended that her step mother hadn't had a good time.Regina let out a humorless laugh. "Trust me, they weren't after true love. They either want Savior magic or the Savior herself… Although I can't blame them, I did cut quite the figure in that dress," she added with a self-assured smirk."That you did, love," Hooks voice rang out as he too made his way into the dining hall and plopping down next to Regina.Like Regina he too had no one to warm his bed at night. The pirate had turned over a new leaf but like the Queen, it appeared he was cursed in love. Regina didn't quite understand it, Emma and him had kissed in Neverland, he was the one who brought the blonde back to Storybrooke… But when Robin Hood showed up, all of Emma's affections for the pirate seemed to just magically disappear."Yes, you did manage to steal quite a few hearts," Robin added. "Hopefully they all remained firmly un-crushed.""Keep insulting me, Thief, and you can rest assured yours won't be," she snapped irritably."Alright, that's enough," Snow warned both Regina and Robin. "If we're going to save Emma, we have to start working together and you two have to stop bickering."Robin and Regina looked at one another for a moment, the dislike for each other radiating off the other one.Regina cleared her throat, standing up from the table without looking at the Thief. "Fine. But if you excuse me, I'm going to get a start on rescuing Merlin.""Wait, don't you want breakfast?" asked Snow, missing the awkwardness of the moment."I'm not hungry."Once Regina was out of earshot Emma turned to Robin, letting her disapproval be well known. "Why are you always so nasty to her?""I'm just having a bit of fun," Robin told her, but truth be told, he didn't quite understand where this dislike for the Queen came from. She had never harmed him, she had saved his boy when they were in the Enchanted Forest. Yes, she had sentenced Marian to death but even with his contempt for her he knew she was no longer that person. Plus, with Zelena changing the timeline, it had been the red head who killed his wife, not the Queen.It was like something was compelling him to hurt the Queen..."Yeah well, your 'fun' is going to get you incinerated one day, mate," Hook informed the Thief. "Not to mention we need her magic to free Merlin so he can free your true love from the darkness.""I know, I know… I’m sorry. I’ll be more honorable towards her.""Thank you," said Emma with a quick kiss."Of course, M’la- Emma."…Regina leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest. God, she hated that thief…Plus, she wasn't sure if she could stomach seeing him practically swallowing Emma's face every time Regina stepped into the room.She wanted love so bad…"M’lady?"Regina whipped around at that greeting. It stirred something in her, a fire of sorts. Like she had been born to be called that."Percival," she greeted the man who had called her that name with a smile. "What are you doing here?"Percival smiled at her as he stood next to her. "Nothing, I just wanted to ask you rather or not you were felling alright. You left the ball rather early last night."The Queen couldn't help but chuckle. "It's funny, a lifetime ago no one would have noticed if I even showed up but now I leave one early and I seem to attract the whole kingdoms attention.""Well I don't know who ignored you in the previous lifetime, but I can assure you, M’lady…" He stepped towards her, unable to fight the grin that appeared at the shy smile as he called her that particular pet name again. The knight reached out and stroked her cheek as he finished his thought. "I won't ever ignore you…
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Emma groaned as Robin pushed into her, digging her nails into his back as she wrapped her long legs around him."Robin..." the blonde moaned as he buried his head into the crook of her neck and kissed and sucked the tender skin. "Mmm… Daddy, right there… Right there!”Robin panted as he thrust into her, trying his best to be in the moment with his lover. He picked his head up, gazing into her eyes with all the fire and passion he had inside of him, willing it to come to the forefront.“Easy with the intensity there, Tiger,” Emma said with a slight laugh before she flipped the two of them over so she was on top, smirking down at him. “What do you say I get to be the one in charge for a bit huh?” she purred before she began moving her hips back and forth as she rode him.Emma liked to talk during sex. She liked to be fun and flirty when she was riding him or sly and smirking when he was on top. Robin on the other hand… he liked intensity. He liked deepness and staring into his lover's eyes, holding her tight as they connected. He liked bruises on one another, evidence of their passion for each other.As hard as he tried, Emma and him just couldn’t sync together in that way. Robin gripped her hips as she rode him, closing his eyes as she began what she referred to in this land as ‘dirty talk’ but once again, Robins interests were not inline with the Saviors and he bit back telling her to just be quiet.As his hands moved behind her to grip her ass, he bit his lip when through the darkness, a woman appeared. Not of the blonde on top of him but one with dark sultry eyes and soft jet black hair. It was her hair he was running his hands through, it was her breasts that were bouncing as she rode him, it was her brown eyes he was staring into with an intensity so white hot he couldn’t turn away even if he wanted to.“Re-...” he groaned, moving his hand down between her legs to rub her clit as he started to move faster. “Re… Regi-.”"Right there!" Emma screamed, jerking him out of that fantasy as quick as it had come. "Robin right there! Right there! UH!"Robin shook the image of Regina out of his head as he continued making love to her, careful not to slip up again…Afterwards, and with no more fantasies of the Queen interrupting them, Robin laid in his bed with Emma resting her head on his solid chest, their arms wrapped around one another.As Emma laid in his arms, Robin Hoods mind began to wonder and he couldn’t help the overwhelming guilt that consumed him. He was in love with a beautiful blonde woman, a smart strong person who loved him but as she laid with him, his mind kept fluttering to her. To Regina.When he laid with her, he tried so hard to be in the moment, to laugh and enjoy their time together but he couldn't. Don't get him wrong, Emma was a beautiful woman and he was attracted to her. She was strong and muscular with long blonde hair and light green eyes. She was everyone's dream woman, but Robin had always found himself falling for dark hair and dark eyes with a slender but curvy body he could hold at night.Regina would have been the perfect match for him."Something on your mind?"Robin looked down and saw that Emma had awoken and he forced a smile to his lips. "I thought you were asleep?""You were thinking so loud you woke me up."He chuckled as he kissed the top of her head before she sat up and leaned against the headboard. "So come on, spill. What's going on, Hood?""Nothing," he lied. "I was just thinking about how good it’s going to be to get you back to normal.""I am still normal," she argued. "I haven't used dark magic since that thing with Merida. Once Regina finds a way to free Merlin the darkness will be out of me and we can go on with our lives."She curled up next to him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his strong chest as he stroked her long blonde hair."You and me, Henry and Roland… We can get back to the way things were."Robin bit his lip as he looked down at the woman in his arms."You're missing someone," he said softly, hating himself for breaking the peace for the moment. Emma gazed up at him confused for a moment before her face fell."Do we really have to talk about this now?" she groaned, her tone clearly letting him know that the safe bet was for him to stop pushing her about this."I'm sorry that she did that to us; that she put on that farce and pretended to be Marian, but Emma that child inside of her is mine. I won't abandon it, Emma. I can't.""Robin, trust me I don't want you to abandon your child, but my son's adoptive mother's sister who is technically my great step aunt is pregnant with my boyfriend's child. That's a REALLY hard pill to swallow.""I know and I'm sorry, but we will get through this together. She wanted to hurt her sister and unfortunately, this was the best way she knew how."“By getting pregnant with the Saviors boyfriend kid?” the blonde scoffed as she raised her brow.“Regina can’t have children of her own,” Robin told Emma. “She wanted something that Regina could never have. I was just the unlucky pawn who got chosen to be the father. But it doesn’t matter.”Robin gently stroked her face. “I love you, Emma. I always will. A child won’t ever change that.”With that being said, Robin leaned in and kissed her, hoping that the two of them could move on from not only Zelena but Robin could move on from the guilt he felt over picturing Regina over Emma. But he had felt the strangest thing as he had fantasized about Regina… He couldn’t help but feel that the two of them together felt far more like a memory than a dream......Regina moaned softly as she rolled her hips as the spell she had casted washed over her, clenching the sheets with her fists.It had been one of the first spells she had learned in secret without Rumpelstiltskins help. She would have died of embarrassment if her teacher had found out she had learned a spell that had stimulated sex.But as real as the sensations felt, a man’s hands touching her, a tongue running up her thigh, a pair of lips against hers; it was still just as lonely as if she had been touching herself.Regina liked intensity when she made love. She likes looking into someone’s eyes, neither one of them speaking, God how she hated talking during sex, feeling connected as two souls joined each other, arms holding each other so tight they caused bruising, marks to let the other one know they belonged to them one.A spell couldn’t give her that…Regina whimpered as the spell made her feel like a rough calloused hands, she had always loved the feel of a man who worked outside like Daniel or Graham’s hands opposed to the lotioned up, soft, almost as feminine as hers bumbling fat fingers that had belonged to Leopold, were rubbing her clit and a pair of lips were sucking at her breast, her eyes closed as a vision came to the forefront of her mind.She wasn’t sure who it was; just a man with dark blonde scruff on his face and dazzling blue eyes, her favorite kind of eyes. But the more intense the spell got, the clearer the man in her mind's eye became.“Robin,” Regina gasped as she pictured the famed archer gazing down at her, moving his hands over her body. His scruff lightly scratched her neck as she felt a kiss behind her ear, making her whimper as her toes curled, the spell going into overdrive.But, as good as this had felt, she quickly shook away the image her mind had conjured.Regina had no right to that fantasy, Robin belonged to the Savior and she would not betray Emma like that.With a wave of her hand the sensations stopped, the Queen no longer wanting to feel anything if the cost was going to be picturing her friends lover.But, as Regina magiced herself into a pair of silk pajamas, she couldn’t help but think just how right that fantasy felt. And how it felt far more like a memory than a dream……"The crimson crown?"Hours later the group was in the room that had been set up as Regina's workshop and she had just discovered a chance for them to be able to talk to Merlin. Percival had joined their group and was standing rather closely to Regina as she showed Robin and Emma the book where she had found their possible chance.Neither Regina nor Robin had looked at one another since they walked into the room, both of them fresh with the memories of what had transcribed in their individual bedrooms."Yes, it allows you to talk and hold conversations between realms," the Queen explained. "I can cast the spell that allows us to be able to use the mushroom, we can talk to Merlin, ask him how to get him free.""Or how to free Emma," Snow added."Hang on."The group turned towards Percival who took the book from Regina and looked down at the photo of the mushroom."I know the place where the Crimson Crown grows; it was once home to a group of peasants who were ruled over by a cruel unforgiving King and Queen, so they protected their land with magic to keep them out," the Knight explained. "Only those that have spilled royal blood may enter, and even then, it's a very perilous journey that very few have survived."Snow and Charming immediately turned to Regina who blushed deeply, turning her eyes to the stone ground."Technically I had Sidney do the killing…"
she muttered."You also killed your father and mother," Snow added."Whose fault was that?" The Queen snapped, her anger only half serious."It doesn't matter who's at fault, but you're the only one who can get this for us, Regina, you have to go," Snow begged."But she'll be all alone," Hook argued.Robin bit his lip for a moment before he cleared his throat. "That's… not entirely true… I can go with Regina."The groups eyes went wide with shock over what the archer had confessed to and Regina looked vaguely proud.Emma's eyes went wide as she looked over at her boyfriend. "What the hell, Robin?""Prince John stole my wife," he explained desperately. "He threatened to hang my Merry Men AND burn down Sherwood Forest… I didn't have a choice."None of the group saw Percival glare at the outlaw. There had been rumors in the Enchanted Forest that the Queen had murdered the King which is where he got the idea for this ridiculous lie about the land being enchanted. He thought she had been the only one in their party who would sink low enough to kill a royal, he had no idea that her boyfriend had also been just as dishonorable…Percival had wanted Regina to go at it with him alone."I don't remember asking for a partner," Regina snapped."You didn't," he replied with his trademark smirk.The Queen rolled her eyes, accepting the inevitably that Robin and she would be going on this mission together.“Just don't get in my way.""Oh, I wouldn't dream of it."Despite her best efforts, Regina felt a smile tug on her lips at the smugness of the thief. He really was cute, if you liked the outdoorsy types which, oddly enough, Regina did, as if her recent experience in bed proved. But what was most breathtaking were those eyes. A dazzling blue that reminded her of a crystal-clear sky.Daniel had the same eyes."I too shall accompany you," Percival added, drawing her out from her thoughts.Regina narrowed her eyes in confusion. "YOU killed a royal?""I wasn't always a knight, M'lady."That word again. It made her want to blush and grin like a school girl… She would never understand Emma's annoyance at it."Then it's settled. Robin, Regina, Percival; you'll start your trek as soon as day breaks," Charming declared."Forgive me, my Prince, but the creatures lurking in this land don't care if it's day or night, we're in danger either way. At least at night, we won't have to look at the face of the monsters who would slay us. It's best if we leave at once.""Well that's comforting," Regina muttered before she straightened up. "Let me say goodbye to Henry and we'll be off."Sure, enough a half hour later the three of them stood at the castle gate staring out at the darkness with only the moon and torches to light their way, neither of the heroes realizing they were being led straight into a trap…
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"You ride well, your majesty."Regina glanced over at the thief as the two of them rode side by side, the path too narrow for Percival to ride beside her anymore.The party had been traveling going on two hours now, the gray stones of Camelot far beyond their sight. It had been a fairly uneventful and quiet adventure so far, nothing out of the ordinary besides Robin actually being somewhat decent to her.She wasn't sure if it was because he couldn't rip on her for being the Evil Queen while in front of Percival or what but it seemed like the further he was from Emma, the more he lived up to the chivalrous code he was so well known for."What would a thief know about riding one of these animals well?" the Queen scoffed.Robin pursed his lips for a moment. "A simple thank you would suffice.""You didn't answer my question."He rolled his eyes before he spoke. "I wasn't always a thief, your majesty, as a matter of fact House Locksley was the most noblest house in all of Nottingham. I probably had just as many riding lessons as you."I doubt that Regina thought to herself, thinking of all the times she had begged her mother and father for extra lessons outside of the normal twice a week.Of course her parents thought it was merely the love of horses that warranted their daughter wanting all of the extra lessons, not the love of the blue eyed stable boy doing the teaching."You were a noble?" Regina asked, her voice dripping in disbelief."I was. My father was a lord and my mother a lady as a matter of fact. I would have been one as well if I had chosen that life.""Except you dedicated yourself to a life of crime.""A life of helping people," he argued."You don't think that you could have done more help as a nobleman then as a thief?"Robin shrugged. "Perhaps. But I didn't want the respect of the people simply because of my father's name nor did I want to stay cooped up behind stone walls all day managing boring affairs of state. I wanted a life of my own."Regina glanced down at the ground beneath her horses feet as her own words were unknowing echoed back to her by someone she thought she had nothing in common with."I get it," she told him as she looked up at him. "You didn't want a predetermined life based off of someone else's expectations."He smiled at her. "Exactly."Goddamit!Percival glared at the two former lovers in front of him. He knew it was a bad idea for Robin to accompany them; he knew nothing good would come from this.That was why he had wanted to ride beside her but the former couple decided that since Percival was best with a sword and Regina and Robin were best at attacks that involved aiming in front of them that they would take the lead while he rode behind them.The curse Percival cast was only as strong as the 'love' that Robin felt for Emma since he had been the one that had been cut with a knife forged with an enchantment made with a single hair he had pulled from Emma's dress as he brushed up against her when they had first led the company into Storybrooke.If Robin fell out of love with the blonde or he fell in love with another then the curse would be broken, their memories would be restored and everything would go back to how it was before.Then he would never get his revenge on the Queen."The path gets even narrower up ahead," Percival informed them, breaking into their conversation. "We best tie up the horses here and carry on on foot."The Queen and Outlaw did as they were told and the three of them began advancing through the forests with only their torches to guide them.Percival gently grabbed hold of Regina's arm and held her back somewhat so that Robin could walk a little further up ahead.It was time he stopped leaving things up to chance."Are you sure we can trust him?" The knight asked in a hushed tone so that she was forced to lean in close. "Even Camelot knows of the great thief Robin Hood.""He's as heroic as any of them," Regina told him, enraging Percival when he saw a hint of smile when she talked of him. "He just… has different interpretations what it means to be a hero.""A thief is a thief, M'lady. How do we know he won't sell the Crimson Crown for gold? Even if he did give it away to a worthy cause?""He wouldn't do that."Percival gave a polite bow of the head, holding back a smirk.The seed had been planted."Of course not, M'lady. I may not trust him but I trust your judgement. If you say he is a hero, then he is of course worthy of the title."Regina smiled at the Knight, feeling a fluttering in her stomach. No one before had ever trusted her completely, no one had ever taken her word on something as serious as this before.Percival and Regina joined up with Robin again and continued the quest on foot rather silently until they came across a long bridge that wasn't even high enough for it to keep their feet out of the water beneath it."Be careful," Percival warned the two heroes as he looked out over the water. "Most of the water in Camelot is enchanted, this is no expectation. It's cursed with the souls of the damned. If one should fall in or disturb them…""I'm going to go out on a hunch and assume we'd join these undead fish folk?" the Queen asked as she looked out over the seemingly innocent still water.Percival nodded as he drew his sword while Robin pulled out an arrow and nooked it in his bow. "Exactly, M'lady.""Then let's freeze this pond to make sure nothing escapes," Regina said as she raised her hand, a shimmery blue light running through her hand."Even in the dead of winter this lake never freezes," he informed her. "It's better if we're just careful."Seemingly satisfied with what Percival has told her the three of them began making their way slowly and carefully across the wooden rickety bridge.It was a long trek, almost five minutes on foot, but eventually they got to the other side undisturbed by the monsters who took up residence in the lake."There," Percival said as he hurried over to an innocent looking pile of brush. He quickly cut it away with his sword and there, hidden in the back of the bush, was their prize, a large red mushroom coated with white spots."Robin of Locksley, Savior… I present to you the Crimson Crown."Robin cut it free with the dagger in his belt, examining it for a moment before he handed it to Regina who put it in her bag. "Keep it safe, your majesty.""Always," she told him with a hint of a smile, making Percival's hand clench into a fist so tight he felt his nails cut into his skin.Why couldn't he just be happy with the blonde he had been given?The three of them headed back across the bridge, just as careful as last time.Only this time it wasn't enough.Three quarters of the way across Regina heard a soft creaking behind her. She turned to see what had made the sound, her eyes scanning the horizon for something out of the ordinary but there was nothing. Everything was as silent as the grave.As she went to turn back around, it happened.They couldn't see its face as it lept from the water and landed in front of Regina. It was covered in armor from head to toe but the heroes had a sinking feeling it didn't need the protection the metal offered."Get down!" Robin yelled at the Queen as he let loose an arrow, sinking it where it's heart would have been. The demon merely plucked the arrow from its chest and kept advancing on the Queen.Robin sent another arrow toward it, this time landing it in the face mask of the long dead soul. That time it froze, giving Robin time to kick it as hard as he could back into the water with a cry that seemed to wake the other monsters .One more flew up out of the water only this time it had a sword and was swinging it wildly.Now over her shock Regina threw a fireball at it, landing it squarely on its chest. It fell back into the water engulfed in flames but as that monster died, many more joined it and soon enough they were surrounded by the monsters.They fought them off as hard as they could, arrows and fireballs flying through the air while the clang of swords erupted behind them from Percival as he fought his own share of the demons.Just as Regina was about to let loose another fireball, an icy hand grabbed hold of her ankle and with a cry from the Queen she was dragged under the water, Robin screaming her name the last sound she heard.She cried out as she tried to pull her foot away from the monster, tried to swim back to the surface, tried anything but the demon had the strength of ten men and nothing worked.Regina tried to pulsate magic from her hands but she was growing far too weak and her sight began to blur as she was dragged far down into the depths of the waters.Just as her vision began to blacken she felt something whistle by her head and the monster let out its shriek as it loosened its hold on her. She felt an arm wrap around her waist and then she was moving back up towards the light, looking back just in time to see the arrow sticking out of the face mask.Regina desperately sucked in the cool night air as she finally broke the surface, taking in deep breaths of the air as she glanced over at her rescuer."Robin," she gasped as the thief swam towards the bridge, his bow slung over his shoulder, still not taking his arm from around her waist as if he was afraid he would never get the chance to hold her again."You're alright, M'lady," Robin panted as he swam back towards the bridge where Percival was waiting with his hand outstretched. "You're alright…""Get her outta there!" Percival cried from the bridge, holding his hand out to the Queen and her hero, the monsters seemingly vanquished.Robin all but pushed her onto the bridge with the Knights assistance before he climbed onto the bridge as well, the two men grabbing her by the arms and all but yanking her the rest of the way, not stopping until they reached dry land and they allowed the Queen to finally collapse.Robin kneeled by her side, glancing her over to make sure she was just exhausted and that the demon hadn't done any serious injury to her."You… you saved me," she panted as she looked up at the thief.Robin smiled down at her. "A simple thank you would suffice."She let out half a laugh as he pushed the wet hair from her face, unable and unwilling to turn from the brown eyes he had fantasized about when he was with Emma…He laid a hand on her cheek and the moment he did, flashes of images struck as quick as lightning."M'lady, you're injured
Leaning in close at the witches farmhouse.
"Stunning in every way."
"You can't take something that's been given to you."
A first kiss beside a warm fire
Gasping and panting in the bedroom hidden away in her vault after spending far too much time apart.
"Robin's just apart of that world…"
Robin gasped as he pushed back away from the Queen, his eyes narrowed in confusion. Regina meanwhile was finally sitting up and looking at him with equal shock."What the hell was that?" The Queen asked, searching Robins eyes to see if he had seen the same things she had."You saw it too?"Regina nodded. "It was memories or dreams or… I- I don't know but it felt so real…"Percival swallowed hard as he looked between the two of them, not knowing exactly what they had seen but he had a pretty good idea that it wasn't the fake memories of Robin and Emma's story.Damn them. Damn their love!"Many souls of lovers were lost here as well," Percival lied. "If you're rescued from the water, it shows you flashes of living out a life of 'true love' from your hero. A cruel trick to the undead who can never be with their lovers again. It'll go away soon, don't worry."The Queen looked over at the Knight, a hundred different questions on her lips but she couldn't bring herself to ask them to the man who had been so kind to her.Regina knew both light and dark magic and that water wasn't magical. At least not the way Percival had explained it. There was nothing but the dark magic that reanimated the corpses of the knights who had once fought there. There was nothing in that water that would remotely explain why she and Robin had seen those things.There had to be another explanation.Robin, however, who knew nothing of magic other than that his girlfriend was now the darkest purveyor of it, seemed to accept the flimsy excuse. "It seemed so real though…""Magic will do that. Now come on, we need to get back to the castle. I'm sure Emma is waiting for you, Locksley.""Right... Emma."As he said the name it almost sounded foreign on his tongue, like it didn't belong to him. He suddenly wasn't as much in a hurry to return to the blonde as he had been before they started their journey.The thief and the Knight helped Regina stand and they quickly made their way off the bridge and back towards the dry land where their horses awaited.Regina reached into her bag, gasping when she realized it was only weighed down with the water from that cursed lake."I lost the crimson crown," she told them when they asked what was the matter. "In the water, I must have dropped it.""You were being dragged underwater by a hell spawn, I think you losing the mushroom is a bit understandable," Robin told her as he helped her up on her horse."But how will we get in touch with Merlin now?""We'll find another way," Percival assured her. "You can't give up hope, M'lady."At that word instead of appearing flattered like she normally did she turned to Robin."You called me that. In the water, when you rescued me.""That I did," he said as he climbed on his own horse."I thought that was only your name for Emma."Robin gave her a soft smile as he undid his one of his saddle bags and pulled out his traveling cloak. "She hates that nickname. If I can't use it on her…" He wrapped the cloak around her, offering her some protection from the bitter cold night. "I might as well use it on another woman worthy of the honor."Their eyes met briefly but it felt like a hundred years as his touch lingered on her neck where he tied the cloak around her and she found she didn't want him to pull away.He cleared his throat as he finally pulled his hands from her and with a curt nod, the three of them began their ride back towards Camelot; with the Crimson Crown secured in Percivals pack…As they rode back to the castle Regina pulled the hood of the cloak up over her head and a familiar comforting smell surrounded her. She couldn't place it at first; it smelled like pine and earth and fresh air, a scent that suddenly filled her with the type of feelings the smell of horses and fresh hay used to bring to her, feelings one ought never to have about a friend's true love. And that was when it hit her.Forest. The cloak smelled like forest.And she realized she never loved the forest more then she did right then...Please Review
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Neither one of the group spoke on their way back to Camelot; Regina and Robin were too cold from the icy waters of the lake mixed with the frigid night air to hold a conversation and Percival was too busy thinking about his next step.He had to get them apart.The spell hadn't even lasted a full day, there was no way their love was that strong it could be broken in less than twenty four hours.The Knight truly didn't understand it. Regina was a monster. A cold blooded killer who sneered at terrified little boys who just saw his family and neighbors go up in smoke. How could anyone ever love her?If it had been a spell or curse that made him fall for her then it would have been broken when he made him fall for Emma but this love was apparently real and true and honest.He had to destroy it.When they finally reached the main courtyard of familiar castle, Percival felt another headache coming on.Hook and Emma were sitting FAR too close to one another on the steps and she was leaned in much too close for comfort, her smile was a bit too comfortable around the pirate…They were starting to fall back for one another as well it had seemed.Granted there was less of an emergency if the blonde fell for someone else; Emma wasn't the one cursed, she was a victim just like her one handed pirate. The spell would only break if Robin fell out of love with Emma but seeing his beloved whispering and giggling with another man might make that happen sooner rather than later.At the sound of the approaching horses Emma pulled away from the pirate looking like a child who had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Only then she noticed that her beloved was soaking wet and was shaking to the point of almost falling off his horse."Robin!" the blonde cried out as she raced towards the shivering outlaw, and Regina couldn't help but notice the look on Hooks face as he watched her run towards her beloved. A look of longing and envy.The same look Regina tried so desperately to hide when she watched the couple together."What the hell happened?" asked Emma as she looked between the three questers."I'm- I'm alright," he told her, his chattering teeth telling a different story as he struggled to stay atop of his horse. "Hel- help R- Regina."Regina who had been given protection from the cold thanks to the forest smelling cloak shook her head."I'm fine but we need to get him someplace warm. Not a lot of cures for hypothermia in Camelot I'm guessing."Emma nodded as she helped him from his horse, throwing his arm around her shoulder to help him stand. In a poof of purple smoke the three of them found themselves in Reginas bedchambers, Robin under the covers with his soaking wet clothing removed and under all of the thick fur blankets they had given her when she first arrived."Why your room?" Emma asked as she sat in the edge of the bed and held her lovers shivering hand.Instead of answering Regina conjured a fireball and casually tossed it into the stone fireplace only her room had available, the heat from the fire washing over them like they were sinking into a warm bath."Being the Savior comes with a few perks," the brunette answered with a slight smirk, knowing that if Emma had told the truth when they first arrived in Camelot she would have been given the luxurious accommodations.Emma just rolled her eyes as she turned back to the blue eyes thief, gently stroking his face."If you wanted to go swimming, you should have waited until it was above freezing."Robin managed a weak laugh as he leaned back in the plush pillows."Wha- what can I- I say ex- except I'm impat- impatient.""Well when we get back to Storybrooke I bet I can talk to the mayor about magicing up a town pool.""You co- could try. She owe- owes me a fav- favor actually…"Regina chuckled as she sat down on the edge of the bed beside Emma, knowing that she was intruding on a moment between them but she didn't care.She had to make sure he was alright."Do you know how many permits and licenses you need to get a public pool? Even saving my life from a water demon doesn't negate the annoyance of city ordinances."Emma looked between the two, her brows furrowed together."Robin, you saved her life?"The blue eyed man nodded, a slight twinkle in his eyes. "I thou- thought the Savior dying at thi- this point would be counterproductive.""I'm glad to know you'd think my death would be counterproductive," she said with a soft smile."Among other things, M'lady."Emma raised her brow at the man in the bed and Robin realized what he had said and more importantly how he was speaking to the Queen and he realized he had to fix it."One of the most important being that I wouldn't get the woman I love back."He pulled his hand out from under the blanket and placed a hand on Emma's face, the same thing he had done to Regina earlier that night.Regina glanced down at the admission. She had heard the two of them pronounce their love for each other half a hundred times but tonight, after what they had shared, it cut deeper than usual."You still have me, Robin," the blonde told him, turning her face to kiss his palm. "You'll always have me."The blue eyed man buried his hand in her hair and pulled her towards him, kissing her soft and sweetly.That was Reginas cue to leave.Without another word the Queen got up and left the two of them to themselves, praying they had enough decency to remember that it was her bed after all.She made her way down to the storeroom where she discovered on her first night held the best wine. Regina definitely needed a drink after the night she had.When she opened the door she didn't however expect to see the leather clad pirate with a bottle of the Kings finest already open."Looks like you had the same idea as me," she said to Hook as she closed the door behind her, only she added a simple cloaking spell so that they wouldn't be seen if Author or one of his knights happened to come down there.Regina magicked up a glass for herself, and held it out as an indication he should pour."Did your adventure go that bad that the Queen is actually in need of a drink?" the pirate asked as he poured her a glass, never before actually seeing her take a sip of alcohol."Well an evil water demon tried to drown me, I lost the Crimson Crown, and I saw flashes of a love that me and Robin might have shared so… yeah. I'd say it went bad enough that I need to drink.""Wait you lost the mushroom? How? Are we still gonna be able to talk to Merlin and ask him how to free Emma?""I love how you just skip the part about me being dragged to the bottom of a lake by a demon and the whole seeing myself being with Robin and just focus in on Emma. Story of my life," she added with a half hearted scoff."Sorry, Love. How are you feeling?""I've been better… the whole almost dying thing I'm used to but seeing these images of me and Robin?" She shook her head, taking another sip of wine. "That hurt.""Aye. I know what you're feeling."The Queen scoffed. "How the hell do you know what I'm feeling, Guyliner?""Believe it or not, your majesty, I too know what it's like to not be with the one you want."Regina scoffed at what the pirate was implying but she couldn't quite muster up her usual sarcasm."Please… I don't want anyone. Especially not the thief.""Aye, you just look like someone kicked your dog everytime they make eyes at each other."The Queen sighed as she sat down on one of the benches, taking a long drink of the wine. "He hates me, I hate him, he's a hero, I'm a villain… it would never work."Hook pursed his lips. "Well… I wouldn't exactly call him an out an out 'hero'.""He helps people. DEFINITELY has helped more people than you or me ever did. That's what heroes do.""Yes but he robs people. I mean 'rob' is literally part of his name. He's a thief, a noble thief with an honor code so strict I'd get drunk in five minutes if I took a drink every time he mentioned it, but a thief nonetheless. He's a villains version of a hero.""Nevertheless, rather he's a hero or a villain or a 'villains version of a hero', he's in love with Emma.""But you want him."She froze for a moment before she sighed, deciding to just admit outloud what she had been feeling."... Fine. I want him. If he didn't have that damn tattoo, it'd be so much easier to just… ignore everything.""Tattoo? You mean the lion crest on his arm?""Yes. A long time ago Tinkerbell showed me a man in a tavern who could be my soulmate, a second chance at happiness. I never saw his face, only his tattoo. Robin… has that same tattoo."Hook raised his brow. "Wait so… so Robin Hood, Emma's boyfriend, is your soulmate?""I don't know," she admitted. "He has the same tattoo, from the back he looks the same as the man in the tavern but it can't be him. It has to be a coincidence. As much as Emma has done to me? The universe wouldn't let her steal my fated true love. That would be too cruel even for the author or the Gods or God or fate or whatever the hell enjoys making my life one misery after another."Regina sighed, downing the rest of her wine. "But don't think you're getting out of this conversation without a few insights of your own, Pirate.""What the bloody hell are you talking about?""I saw your look when she ran to him today… whatever conflicted feelings I have for Robin, you feel for Emma.""Aye, she's a beautiful woman." He smirked at the Queen. "Get enough wine in me, and I might even look at you that way, your majesty."Regina rolled her eyes. "I know the difference between looking at someone with lust and with love."Hook let out a laugh that did nothing to deter her."So now I'm in love with the wench?""You were in Neverland."The pirates face darkened and his voice lost his playful tone as the Queen reminded him of the time when he thought the blonde would choose him, would fall in love with him."Aye, I was. Then she met Robin and she fell for him and forgot about me."At the admission he looked down at the stone floor, leaning against the wall. "She'd never choose a villain anyway. Not when Robin of Locksley is there to sweep her off her feet, the most noble and honorable man in all the realms."Regina bit back a remark, not wanting to add fuel to the fire and admit that she admired Robins honor and his code and his ethics. She had never thought that would have been as important to Emma as it had been to her but apparently she was wrong...Hook took another drink of his wine, no longer caring about appearing smug and uninterested in the Queen."All I'll ever have of Emma is my dreams."Regina narrowed her eyes at him. "...Dreams?""Aye, Love, dreams." Hook sighed. "Don't tell her or the thief this but I've been having dreams lately. About Emma. Only they didn't feel like dreams, they feel… they feel...""Like memories," she muttered.The pirate nodded. "Exactly like memories. It's nothing fantastical or unusual, we're in Storybrooke but it's me freeing her from the ice queens wall instead of Robin, she's giving up her magic to save me from Zelena instead of him, she isn't saying goodbye to him at the town line, she's with me, getting my heart back from the crocodile…"Regina's face fell as she looked up at the pirate, her eyes wide and stunned. "Hook, that's… those are like my dreams. Only I'm Emma, I- I'm saying goodbye to Robin at the town line, I'm with him in my vault after he chooses me over Marian. Then the images I saw at the lake when he touched me… Percival said it was just magic from the lake but I know the difference between magic and… what that was."Hook let out a sad chuckle, raising the bottle. "Guess we both only get lovers in our sleep.""I'm serious, Pirate. Something… somethings not right.""What do you mean?""I don't know, but whatever it is; you and me are gonna find out. Together."…Percival crept into Emma and Robins chambers, grateful that Regina had been smart enough to allow him to rest in her room.He quickly found what he had been looking for, the Outlaws forest green satchel.Glancing around the stone room just to double check he was indeed alone he pulled out the mushroom they had nearly lost their lives for and buried it in the bottom of the pack.As he went to lift his hand out of the bag, it brushed up against a rather heavy piece of paper.Curious, the knight grabbed the folded piece of paper and pulled it out. He unfolded the paper and looked at it, his eyes going wide as he looked over the page."Impossible," he breathed as his eyes examined the paper, his heart slamming against his ribs.On the page was a painting of a young Robin and Regina with long billowing black hair dressed in a white gown kissing in front of what looked like a tavern, the Roman numerals for '23' at the bottom corner of the paper.Percival swallowed hard as he clutched the paper to his chest. No… NO!He didn't care what other forces were at play that wanted the Outlaw and Queen together, he would get his revenge on the Regina!Folding the paper back up and shoving it in his pocket and hastily made his way out of the room, slamming into his king."Your majesty," he said with a bow. "I'm sorry.""You're fine, Percival," Author said, motioning the knight to his feet. "What were you doing in there?""Oh, I was just making sure they had fresh bedding.""One of the servants made sure they did this afternoon."Percival forced a smile to his face. "Of course. I just wanted to make sure our guests were comfortable. Excuse me, your majesty."The knight gave a small bow and made his way past his king before he heard him speak."Did you really think I wouldn't notice the magic missing from Merlin's vault?"Percival froze for a moment before he turned back to his king expecting anger or outrage but instead he saw something akin to amusement."Your- your majesty, I-.""First you took the God's Eye necklace," Author said as if Percival hadn't spoken. "Then there were a dozen or so other ingredients you stole as well. I looked through his spellbooks I saw only one curse that required the missing ingredients; a very powerful memory potion designed to bring two people together. A love potion of sorts but far far darker than all magic of that variety.""Your Majesty, please-.""Who did you cast it on and why?" Any amusement was gone from his voice. "Tell me now, Percival."The knight swallowed hard as he stared into the eyes of his king. Author had given him a second chance, had given him a second chance and made him a knight of the round table, trusted him with the secret of Excalibur…Percival owed it to him to tell him the truth.He took a deep breath, gathering his courage before he forced the words from his lips. "Our visitors, Robin Hood and Emma Swan. I would never endanger anyone from Camelot, My king.""Why?"Another hard swallow."Because I wanted revenge on Regina."Author cocked his eyebrow. "The savior?""The Evil Queen. Emma Swan is the real savior," Percival explained. "Regina was the one who murdered my family, my village, who sent me on that dark path so many years ago. In reality, Regina and Robin Hood are in love, as is Emma and the pirate and I wanted her to lose the man she loved, I wanted her to see someone be happy when she had nothing. I wanted to take away her happiness like she took away mine."Author's face fell as he looked over his Knights face"Why didn't you come to me, Percival?""Because you would have demanded I give her a second chance and I can't do that," he admitted. "Or I feared you would have merely thrown her into the dungeon and I needed her to suffer more than that.""Now you presume to know a King's thoughts?"Percival offered up no words as a reply and Author sighed, running a hand through his hair."Do you know why they lied to me? About Regina being the savior?""Emma's the Dark One," Percival told the king. "They thought if Regina pretended to be the savior then Emma wouldn't have to do any dark magic so the darkness wouldn't overtake her. They're trying to get the darkness out of her, that's why they came to Camelot in the first place."Authors eyes went wide. "They brought the Dark One here?! To Camelot?!""She's not the Dark One yet, she's… the precursor of the Dark One," Percival explained.Author pursed his lips for a moment, taking a moment to pace back and forth in the dimly lit hallway as the knight watched. After a moment Percival turned his gaze to the floor."The curse doesn't matter anyway," he muttered. "It hasn't even been twenty four hours and they're already falling back in love with each other."Author paused mid stride before he turned to look at him."No."Percival for sure thought he had heard his king wrong."I'm sorry, your majesty?""You have to keep them apart. You have to make sure this curse remains unbroken by any means necessary."A slow smile spread on the knights face. This has taken a rather unexpected but happy twist."Any particular reason, your majesty?""If Emma is the Dark One then there's no way they don't have the dagger on them, and you're going to help me get it.""How?""You gain Regina's trust. You make her feel so low and empty that turns to you and trusts you enough with her darkest secrets.""Like the secret about Emma being the Dark One and her not being the Savior…""You get her to give you the dagger. It's the only way to save her friend, to free Merlin, to bring her happiness… You show her some cheap trick that makes her think you wield magic and make her believe you can help them. Then you bring the dagger to me and I rejoin it with Excalibur.""And after? When the sword is whole, what becomes of Regina?"Author clapped Percival on the shoulder, leaning in close to the knight. "We tether Robin Hood to Excalibur and when we do that, we control Robin Hood. Then… we wake them up from your curse.""How the hell would that hurt Regina?A wild glint appeared in the Kings eye. "Because the only thing that hurts more than not having someone to love, is the person you love being forced to hurt you…"
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Are you ready to give up yet?"Regina and Hook had moved their meeting from Authors wine cellar to the more comfortable and private setting of Hooks bed chambers and had been there for the last several hours combing through Merlin's and Regina's spell books looking for some kind of clue or spell or potion and coming up empty.Or more accurately Regina had while Hook offered the occasional snide comment while he sat up against the wall with his hand and hook behind his head with a rather bored look on his face.He had laughed at what Regina had suggested, that the two of them work together to 'figure out what was going on' when, in his words, they were merely pining for their happily in love friends and were looking for a magical way to justify it.Regina knew it was a long shot. That this was, like Hook said, probably all just a sad attempt to rationalize her feelings of envy and loneliness but it was more than the dreams, more than the fantasy she had of the Outlaw…There had to be some explanation for what she saw at the lake; and she was determined to find it."No," Regina admitted as she flipped through one of Merlin's spell books. "There has to be a reason we both feel like this.""Yeah, we're lonely sad people and we're jealous of our friends. It doesn't require magic to get over that, just maturity," Hook offered.The Queen rolled her eyes but didn't say anything else, starting to feel like maybe this was a waste of time after all.Seeing the rather defeated look on the Queen's face Hook dropped the bored bravado act before he went over and sat down next to her."We both lost love, Regina." His voice was as kind as he could make it. "In the worst way possible, in the darkest way possible. We saw cruel evil people rip out their hearts and crush them in front of us."Tears sprang to her brown eyes that she quickly wiped away in a vein attempt to keep them hidden from the pirate."What does… what does Daniel have to do with this?""We're lonely," Hook told her. "We're unhappy, we're miserable-.""Well aren't you observant?""Furthermore," he continued as if she hadn't of spoken. "We're out of hope. By clinging to this insane idea that somehow you're supposed to be with Robin and I'm supposed to be with Emma, you're giving yourself hope that you can have true love but if it comes at the extent of our friends… I may be a selfish bastard but you've come too far to destroy someone else's happiness on a frayed thread of hope, especially when they don't feel the same way we do. Right now we should be focusing on how to free Merlin from the tree, not some fool's errand that'll just end up getting our hearts broken."Regina starred ahead at the gray stone, the pirates words sitting heavily with her. Maybe Hook was right… maybe she was just being desperate and grasping at straws for a chance to be happy, this time at Emma's expense.But she HAD felt something at the lake with Robin and it was not the magic that Percival had claimed it was. The Queen couldn't just let that slide.Deciding she had enough heartbreak for one night she simply bid the pirate good night and headed back towards her own room. She saw the faint light of dawn approaching in the high windows as she made her way back to her bed chambers and it suddenly hit her how exhausted she really was.Forgetting she had allowed the use of her bed to the Outlaw she walked in her chambers, being met with the sight of Robin sitting on the edge of her bed, pulling on his boots, the fire Regina lit hours ago now nothing more than embers."Well look who's finally awake."Robin looked up at the sound and smiled at the Queen. "I apologize but that was the best sleep I had in a very long time."It was true too. In Camelot when he shared Emma's bed it felt like he was a stranger. Like he was just visiting another's room. When Regina allowed him use of her bedroom here even for the short time he slept, it felt normal. Like he hadn't been intruding on someone else's space. Emma's space to be more precise."I do hope I didn't prevent you from getting a well deserved sleep though."Regina smiled at the knight as she unpinned her hair for the evening, or rather morning. "Don't worry about it, I was with Hook the whole night."The Outlaw raised his brow at the Queen."I didn't realize you and Hook were that intimate."There was something on the edge of his voice that Regina recognized as easily as if he shouted it.She knew it because she spoke with it every time she talked about Emma and Robin.He was jealous.She couldn't let this go without a little ribbing."Is that a little envy I hear from you?" she asked with a slight smirk.Not wanting this to get any more awkward he forced his lips into a half hearted smirk. "Well he does look quite dashing in all that leather.""Careful or else you'll start to look like my sister."He chuckled lightly before a soft smile appeared on his lips, making his dimples stand out against the scruff."Truthfully, Regina, I'm glad that you and him are together." He took a step towards her. "You deserve happiness with someone.""What, no snide comment about me being a 'murderous little royal'?""I think once you save someone's life, juvenile insults just tend to just fall flat, wouldn't you say?"She smiled, unable to turn away from the blue in his eyes. "I'd say exactly that… But I hate to ruin your belief that I actually found someone, but me and Hook aren't actually together," she told the archer, unable to ignore the slight perk up in him. "I meant that we were together all night doing research. Fully clothed.""Ah. My apologies for jumping to conclusions then, M'lady." She ignored the fluttering in her heart. "Did you find anything?"She smiled at him."Maybe."Hours later Regina rose from her bed, thinking only that she had to get back on the right sleep schedule and made her way down to one of the seemingly endless rooms this castle had to offer."You wanted to see me?" she greeted the knight who had been waiting for her. When she saw the look of distress on his features his face fell. "What's going on?""Regina," Percival breathed as he went and grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the table where a scabbard with the hilt of a sword laid. "I need your help.""Sure but what's-.""You're the only one I can trust.""With what? Percival, what is going on?"The knight took a deep breath before he pulled out the broken sword."Is that…""Excalibur," he told her, conforming what she had already known."But it's broken. How can Arthur lead Camelot with a broken sword?""It's Camelot's greatest secret. One you're now privy to."Regina examined the sword, the curves and embellishments looking so familiar to her..."It was once a whole sword, more magical and more powerful than any in all the realms. But the tip was broken and made into a great weapon known as the Dark One Dagger."The Queen pursed her lips for a moment before she cleared her throat. "Yes, I- I know of that knife, I've heard of it before. But why would you tell me this?""Arthur's greatest quest was to reforge Excalibur," Percival explained. "With the sword whole, we wouldn't need Merlin. With it whole again, we could defeat the darkness ourselves."The Queens face remained as stoic as ever. "I see. That still doesn't explain why you would tell me.""Because you're the Savior, Regina." He watched her face carefully, not that he needed it. Even while silent, she was a terrible liar who wore every emotion on her sleeves. He took a step closer to her. "If anyone can make Excalibur whole again, it's you."She swallowed hard. "I'll… see what I can do.""Thank you, M'lady."With a rather stiff bow, Regina headed back to her own parties meeting hall.She walked through the doors, almost freezing when she saw the two lovers. They were bent over a dream catcher on the table and Robins arm was wrapped around Emma's waist and she saw the blonde shift slightly as if trying to get away from his touch.Regina would never understand her. When Daniel and her were together, she would have killed for the simple touches Robin showered Emma in. Wrapping his arm around her, putting his hand in top of hers while they stood next to one another, giving each other soft quick kisses just because … small little things that let her know she was his.Leopold never touched her. When they were in public he only had eyes for his daughter, holding her hand, even as she reached adulthood, hugging her, kissing her in the cheek… In private he barely spoke to her much less touch her as tenderly as a husband should touch a wife.On the rare times they did lay together, Regina might as well have been a sex doll for all the attention he paid her. He barely touched her, hardly kissed her, and ignored the bored queen often times whimpering in pain beneath him.Even if she hated the King and the situation her mother had forced her into, she would have been lying if sometimes, at least early on in their marriage when she was still young and naive, she wished he had shown a little more physical affection towards her.Emma, meanwhile, seemed to have an aversion to any subtle soft touch. Kissing in public sure, but she would be damned if she didn't flinch away when Robin put his hand over hers at the breakfast table.Regina cleared her throat and both the blonde and outlaw turned towards her."Look who's finally awake," Robin greeted her with a rather smug look."Well it was rather hard to sleep when the bes smelled like forest," she threw back at him as she walked further into the room, this time without the bitterness that usually accompanied her barbs.Although, if Regina was being fair, inhaling the forest scent he left behind on her sheets and pillows had given her the most peaceful sleep she had since she arrived at Camelot."Unfortunately even downy doesn't get that smell out," Emma chastised Robin with a gentle nudge, only being half serious.The blonde didn't mind the forest smell that her boyfriend possessed. Occasionally it was nice; smelling like trees and earth and fresh rain wherever he went.Emma enjoyed it, sometimes, as a matter of fact.But she would have given him anything if he had camped down by the beach, just once, and came home with the scent of sea and salt and sand.The sea had always comforted Emma. When she lived in Tallahassee, she discovered the joys of the ocean. Her apartment was just a quick drive to the beach and anytime she would get done with a case to celebrate, or she needed to think about where the guy might have gone, or if she was just feeling lonely, she would head down there and just sit in the sand and look out over the endless stretch of blue.She would listen to the waves crash against the shore, the calls of the seagulls, smell the clear blue water… it relaxed her, comforted her, cleared her head. The ocean was everything to Emma.But the forest scent Robin had was good too, she guessed..."If we're all done talking about my scent, care to share with Regina what you just discovered?" Robin asked as he looked between Emma and the Queen."Right, sorry. We might have found a way to free Merlin," Emma told her."How?"Emma picked up the dream catcher and showed it to her. "With this."Regina took the intricate web and examined it, her face falling as she did. "Emma, this is some serious dark magic.""I know.""These just don't catch dreams, you know.""I know," the blonde said again, the darkness causing her temper to flare far more easily than before."Plus you have to wave it over someone to catch their memories.""I dont," Emma snapped, growing tired of the comments Regina was throwing at her."A vision of sorts came to her," Robin explained, hoping to calm both women down. "In the dream catcher. It showed her how Merlin was turned into a tree.""Just before be was captured, he wept over the loss of the only woman he ever loved. The Dark One used his tear to trap him."Regina's eyes lit up as she looked between Emma and the dreamcatcher. "Emma that's it. That's how we're going to free him." When neither the archer or the Dark One caught on to what she was saying she continued. "Think of magic like a snake bite; the venom can sometimes act as the anti-venom. If a tear of a lost first love can trap him, maybe a tear of a lost first love can UNtrap him…""Well it's a good thing we have a jar of tears of lost first loves hanging around," Robin said, earning an eye roll from both women."At least it's a start," Emma countered before she turned back to the brown eyes queen. "I'm going to do some more research, try to figure out the actual spell that'll work, you work out where we can get out tear, and you." She turned to Robin and, to Regina's surprise, the sandy blonde man rolled his eyes as if he knew she was going to say. "Put it back.""What kind of thief would I be if I returned what I stole?""You're going to get us kicked out of Camelot.""They won't even notice its missing.""Put. It. Back."Ignoring the inquiring look from Regina the blonde turned and walked out, leaving the Outlaw and Queen alone."What'd you take?" asked Regina, far more amusement in her voice than Emma had used.With a slight smirk, Robin reached into the pocket on his trousers and pulled a diamond and ruby encrusted necklace. Elegant, yet simple."You'd be surprised by what the Queen of Camelot has just laying around.""I thought your thieving days were done?""They are. Mostly. I didn't even steal this really," he argued, as if that was a good excuse. "It was merely laying in the corner of one of the rooms I wondered into, abandoned.""You took it upon yourself to tidy up the room I take it?"He shrugged and the Queen couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face. Yes he was a thief but she loved how natural it came to him and how little he cared about potential consequences."I haven't seen a necklace like this around Guineveres throat since we arrived so clearly it doesn't mean much to her." He put the necklace back into his pocket. "There's a poor small village not even an hours ride away. This could feed them for a month, Regina.""I take it Emma doesn't approve.""She doesn't.""...And what happens when she asks if you put the necklace back?""I'll tell her the truth."Regina's eyes went wide. "She's gonna be pissed.""Let her." The bluntness in his tone surprised the Queen. "I explained to her exactly what I planned on doing with the necklace, and I never told her I was handing it back. I can't let one of the richest kingdoms in all the realms discard trinkets like this while people live starving not even an hour away."He sounded so desperate, so determined, almost begging to be allowed to help the people he had never met…Regina's smile faded as she looked over his face, his blue eyes begging her to not only understand but condone it, not that her disapproval would have stopped him.She didn't care what Hook said. Robin Hood was a true hero."If you get caught-.""I won't.""But if you do-.""Then I get caught. I need to help those people, Regina."She swallowed hard before she nodded. "You do," she finally agreed. "Let me come with you."He shook his head."No. If one of them turns me in, you'll be implemented too.""They won't lock up the Savior.""It'll be a simple exchange, a diamond and ruby for every family, the actual gold necklace to the Church so they can use it where it's most needed, I've done it a hundred times. There's no need for you to put yourself at risk."Regina looked at him, brown eyes looking over his face as she struggled to figure it out."Why do you care so much about my safety?" she asked softly, barely able to get the words out. "First you saved my life, now you're actively looking out for me. No one… no one has ever done that before," she admitted, casting her gaze to the stone floor.Robin stared at the Queen for a moment, his heart breaking for the broken woman in front of him."Because you deserve someone looking after you. Your life is just as precious as anyone else's, even more so because you can't see that it is."He took a step towards her, putting a finger under her chin and lifting it up so he could stare into her eyes. "The people who don't believe they're worthy of being saved deserves to be saved most of all."Brown eyes stared into blue. Her breath trembled as it left her body as she looked at him and he looked at her and Regina swore time stood still. She imagined the scrachiness of his scruff as he kissed her, how the blue in his eyes would darken in lust, the strength in his arms as he held her…Little did she know he was too was thinking about the person standing in front of him. He thought about the feel of her plump red lips kissing his neck, her long nails digging into his back as he moved on top of her, how soft her her black hair would feel as he ran his hand through it.Neither noticed the faint glow emitted from a scar on Robins arm that, as hard as he had tried, couldn't remember how he got it..."Regina?"Both Outlaw and Queen jumped at the voice and both stumbled apart from one another as if they had been burned.They turned and saw Percival standing at the doorway, shooting daggers at Robin who cleared his throat."Can I help you, Percival?" Regina asked, hating the sliver of annoyance at the knights presence that shined through."Yes you can. Emma's looking for you," he told the Queen, not bothering to hide his annoyance at the situation he had discovered.Keeping them apart was going to be harder than he thought. But it has also been the reason why Arthur has given him the magic he had currently hidden behind his back."Go," Robin told her. "I'll be back before you know it."With a final, somewhat longing look, she turned and left the room, not giving a second look towards the knight.Robin gave the knight a polite nod. "Percival. If you excuse me, there's a matter I must attend to."The Outlaw tried to walk past the knight who put out a hand to stop him."Emma loves you," the knight told him with an anger the thief hadn't expected. "So much for being a man of honor."Robin narrowed his eyes at the man standing in front of him. He could take a lot of insults about a lot of things regarding him but no one, NO ONE, questioned his honor…"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded."Those looks you're giving Regina, the way you stand so close to her… you're supposed to be in love with Emma!""I am in love with Emma!" Even as he shouted it, he felt a tug on his heart. "I feel nothing for Regina.""You're lying."Percival shook his head, pulling the same knife he had used to cut him the other night from his belt. "It doesn't matter anyway. Regina's never going to love you back, not after this.""What are you talking about?"Without warning, Percival slashed at his arm again, making the outlaw cry out in pain and fall to the floor, this time instead of a dark menacing red light coming from the wound, the first scar Percival had given him healed with a light blue light."What the hell did you-!" And his words stopped short. His eyes went wide as he looked up at him, the curse he placed him under now broken."Regina," Robin breathed softly, every memory of them coming back as clear as a bell."Sorry to wake you up but I needed you fully in love with her, not just this in between stage you two are at right now," Percival told him. "Don't worry, you won't be awake for long."With a loud cry Robin stood up, slamming Percival into the ground, his blue eyes wild with fury."You bastard!" The thief roared as he drew back his first but before he could move, Percival threw the magic he had hidden into his face and the thief was out like a light.Brushing himself off, the knight stood and walked over to the Outlaw, yanking several hairs from his head."Hope that hurt, you prick," he grumbled as he put the hairs into a vile to use for later and put the glass container in his pocket. Cutting a little deeper than necessary, Percival cut the outlaws arm again, the strange red light reppening the scar again.Once the light had gone, Percival reached down and shook the outlaw awake, feigning fear."Locksley! Locksley, wake up!"Robin groaned as his eyes opened."Oh thank God you're awake," Percival let out a breath of relief."What happened?" Robin moaned as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "Where's Regina, I was just speaking with her.""She has to go do something with Henry.""How did I end up on the floor?""You tripped," Percival said, easy a lie as any other. "Hit your head pretty hard."Robin narrowed his eyes in confusion. He was more sure footed than anyone he knew, even more than Regina was while she wore those insane heels in the Enchanted Forest. He couldn't remember the last time he had fallen or tripped on anything.You had to be good on your feet if you were going to be a thief because, as some of his merry men had found out, tripping during a job typically meant either alerting those who they were stealing from or giving the black knights a chance to catch up to you.But at the same time what other explanation could there be?Percival stood up and offered the thief his hand which he took."Thank you.""Of course. You sure you're alright?""Yes, thank you."Percival clapped the thief on the back and with a friendly nod turned and walked out of the room, smirking as he made his way down to Merlin's vault where Arthur was waiting for him with the potion that would help keep them apart.Regina wouldn't be loving ANYONE during this curse…Please Review
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Can we trust him?""I think so.""We don't even know him.""He helped saved Regina, he tried to help us find the crimson crown… I think we should give it to him."Regina had told the group about what Percival had told her, that the dagger was the other part of Excalibur. Since then they had been in a rather heated debate in rather or not to give Percival the dagger with Charming and Hook on team Percival and Snow, Regina and Robin on team don't trust him."Yes he helped save her but he's one of Arthur's most loyal knights. Are we sure we can trust Arthur?" Snow asked."He hasn't given us any reason not to," David offered."But he hasn't given us any reason TO trust him either.""Shouldn't this be up to Emma?" Robin offered. "Let's put the decision to her, see what she decides."Regina shook her head. "No. We don't know if it'll be Emma making the choice or the Dark One."The five of them sat in silence before a moment before Hook decided to speak up. "Regina… you said that you were working on a way to free Merlin, right? With the tear thing?""Yes but we're missing the one ingredient that can actually free him.""So how about you and Emma work on that while Snow, David, you go and distract Percival. Talk to him, get a feel for him, do whatever you have to to keep him occupied.""Sure we can do that, but why do you need him distracted?" asked David, being answered with a smirk from the pirate."Because while the prince and princess will keeping the Knight occupied, the pirate and thief will be busy breaking into his room and doing a little bit of recon and research…"..."When were you gonna tell me you and Hook were sleeping together?"Regina turned to look at Emma, her brows knitted together.The two women were knee deep in Merlin's and Regina's spell books and their individual stores and apart for the most elusive and most important ingredient, the tear of a lost first love, they had found everything else they needed."What the hell are you talking about?"Emma gave her a look as if her meaning was obvious."Robin told me.""Robin told you what?""That you and Hook spent the night together."Regina wasn't sure why the thought of Robin gossiping about her love life much less thinking she had found a lover upsetted her as much as it did but it was like a dagger had been plunged into her heart.Regina shook her head."No. I mean we did 'spend the night together' but it wasn't like that. We were doing research together. I couldn't very well sleep in my bed so I did the next best thing which was research how to make sure your skin doesn't turn gold."Emma rolled her eyes at the description but nonetheless accepted the answer."Actually Robin said the same thing you just did," Emma admitted, putting the Queen's mind at ease. He hadn't been the one to think she had found a lover, Emma had. That made all the difference. "He said you told him you were doing research with him, I mean.""And what, you thought I was lying to him?"The blonde shrugged. "Maybe. He's very trusting, too trusting honestly," she muttered as she opened another book."You're the only woman in the world who complains about her boyfriend being too trustworthy," Regina muttered as she began flipping the yellowed pages."I said too trusting, not trustworthy. For all I know he could have been lying to me."Too far.Regina slammed the spell book in front of her shut, astonished fury burning in her eyes."Robin Hood doesn't lie."Even the Queen was shocked by the anger in her words.Emma's eyes went wide as she held up her hands in mock surrender."Calm down, Regina, I was just saying-.""You were saying the most honorable man in all the realms would lie to the woman he loves over something as insignificant as my sex life? Do you even know him at all?"The blonde felt the darkness pushing her temper to the surface."Pretty sure I know him better than you.""Obviously not if you would think he would lie to you about anything much less something like that. And for your information he wasn't lying. I told him the truth, he told you the truth."Regina shook her head as she looked at the blonde in disgust."You have no idea how lucky you are, Miss Swan. To be with as good a man as him, a man who is honorable and decent and kind while you still have your walls up and think everyone's out to get you or believe everyone has some ulterior motive."Sending one last look of disdain towards Emma, Regina got up off her chair and stormed off towards the fall end of Merlin's vault to look for another book that might prove useful.The savior glared after her for a moment before she stormed over to the Queen."You know what, you and Hook should get together," she told the Queen, her anger starting to become unmasked. "Maybe after a good screw, you wouldn't be such a bitch."Emma expected Regina to react in fury, to whip around to face her, fireball in hand and intensity burning in her eyes.But instead all she got was a scoff as she browsed the shelves."Anytime I want a 'good screw', I assure you it won't be from some no good pirate.""Hook isn't some 'no good pirate'," Emma protested. "He's-.""What? A hero?""As a matter of fact yes he is."Regina couldn't help but roll her eyes. "The pirate is a good guy and Robin Hood is a liar… You do have your priorities screwed up, don't you Ms. Swan?""Again with the Ms. Swan? I thought we were passed that.""We are when you don't act like an idiot."This time it was Emma's turn to roll her eyes but she was done arguing with the Queen.The two women went back to work in tense silence, the only sounds being the flipping of pages and taking of books off shelves. After a while Emma looked up from the pages she was reading to look over the table at the Queen, deciding that a long enough time had passed so that she could approach the topic she had originally wanted to talk about when she mentioned Hook."You know it might not hurt," Emma began carefully."What wouldn't hurt, getting 'a good screw'?" Regina muttered without taking her eyes off the page."Not only that but you and Hook, or you and someone else… I mean Percival seems pretty interested in you."An eye roll was her only answer."I'm being serious, Regina," said Emma, finally looking up from the page. "You're one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen, you're extremely intelligent, you have a massive amount of personality-.""If I didn't know any better, Emma, I'd say you were interested in me as well as the knight.""My point is, is that you're no longer the Evil Queen. You could find love again. I'm sure Daniel would want you to move on."Regina froze at the sound of his name coming from her mouth. Her first instinct was to throw as many fireballs at her as possible, as it was her instinct for anyone who mentioned her old fiancée. But she took the time to take a deep breath, to actually hear what her former nemesis was saying before she answered."Emma, you don't… you don't understand what we had. It wasn't like me and Daniel broke up, or even like he was killed in an accident or war. My own mother murdered him, in front of me, and then she sold me like some broodmare to a man older than my father."Emma looked down at the dusty stone floor beneath her feet. Her mother always spoke so highly of Leopold and the townsfolk who met him had nothing but kind words to say about him.But Regina was only eighteen years old when she married the fifty eight year old man, and she hadn't even agreed to marry him, Cora had accepted for her.The blonde didn't even wanna think about what Regina had to go through in the bedroom much less anywhere else."Daniel was my soulmate." Regina explained, her voice quivering. "I can't just get a new boyfriend or fall in love with some random stranger.""He was your first love, I get that," Emma said not unkindly, thinking of Neal as she did so. "But that doesn't mean he has to be your last."Regina opened her mouth to tell her that she didn't necessarily want a new boyfriend, a lie if there ever was one, when realization struck."Emma… I know how we're going to get the missing ingredient to free Merlin," said the Queen. "It'll come from me…"…"I think this is a bloody waste of time," Robin muttered as he and Hook made their way down to Percivals private chambers. "He's not just going to tell us 'why yes, I plan to use the dagger to cut down the blonde'.""No but you and me can get a feel for him," said Hook. "You know better than anyone a man's things can say far more about him then his words. Besides he went with you and Regina to get the Crimson Crown. How was he acting then?""We didn't really speak to one another, he was more focused on getting to know Regina," he admitted with a touch of something resembling envy.Hook glanced over at the thief, raising an eyebrow."If I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous, Thief.""Am I now?""Indeed. If there's one thing I know, it's matters of the heart.""What, with all the times you've been in love?""Aye. It might not be the epic love story you and Emma share but I was in love.""I wouldn't call mine and Emma's love story all that epic," Robin admitted as he sneaked around the corner, impressing even with pirate with his ability to be light in his feet without even trying all that hard. "We aren't soulmates, it isn't true love, we aren't some great predestined love story like her parents were.""Stop, you're killing me with sentiment," Hook muttered."It's the truth. I mean I love the woman, I always will, but…""You want something grander." The pirate pursed his lips, glancing down at the tattoo, remembering Regina's words to him about the man in the tavern. "You want a soulmate.""It doesn't matter," Robin told him. "Emma's the woman I love, she's my future.""You make it sound like loving her is some unpleasant chore that needs to be done," Hook snapped, wondering why he was protective of the blonde. "You have no idea how lucky you are to be with her.""I DO know how lucky I am to be with her," Robin shot back."Then act like it. Don't treat her like some obligation you have to be with because of your bloody code. If you don't want her there's plenty of other men willing to sweep her off her feet."Hook pushed past him, the anger at the thief growing as Robin fell in step beside him."Who? Someone like you?""Aye, someone like me!" he shouted as he rounded on the thief. "Emma isn't some chore that needs to be completed, she's a woman who's built up a hundred foot walls and you're lucky enough to be let in and you're standing here acting like you're the one doing her a favor!""I love Emma!""Then start acting like it!"Without giving him a chance to debate Hook turned and stormed down the hall towards the knights chambers. Robin glared after him for a moment before he followed, both men silent the rest of the way.They arrived at his room and, after discovering it was locked, Robin went to work on picking the lock."That was quick," Hook muttered after the thief managed to break it open in less than ten seconds."One of the first tricks of the trade I learned," Robin told him as he opened the door.After making sure the room was abandoned they walked in, glancing around the stone room in curiosity."Why would a Knight want with all this magic?" Hook muttered out loud, glancing at the stack of spellbooks on his desk."Maybe he dabbles?" Robin offered as he picked up a vile of some dark purple crystals, their earlier argument not forgotten but put on the back burner for now. "Maybe he was researching how he was going to join Excalibur together?""Perhaps…" Hook said as he looked over the books, flipping to the pages that had been earmarked. "But all of these seem to be chapters containing dark magic relating to love, nothing about Excalibur or the dagger."Robin picked up the book laid in the center of the desk and the book that appeared to be, frowning down at what appeared to be scribbles and drawings. "I wouldn't even begin to guess what language this is…"Hook grabbed the book from Robins hands and gave it a once over."It's ancient Elvish," The pirate explained. Seeing the confused look on the thief's face he added, "I'm over three hundred years old, you pick up a thing or two." Hook looked back down at the book and read over the spell, his face falling. "Well this is a dark spell…""What? What is it?""You take a lock of hair from a person and whoever that person loves most will be cursed to not love ANYTHING anymore. You're killing someone's love with the person they love.""You weren't kidding, that is dark… but why would Percival be interested in a spell like that?""I don't know," Hook admitted, still reading the pages. "Maybe he plans to take away Emma's love for you and her family? Turn her darker even quicker?"Robins face fell, "that's not going to happen. He's not getting anywhere near her.""We have to tell Snow and David," said Hook as he flipped the page only to have a folded piece of paper fall out from between the pages."What's this then?" Robin asked as he picked up the paper and unfolded it, his eyes going wide when he saw what was on the paper."This… this is impossible," he breathed, unable to turn away from what he held in his hands. "Where did this even come from?""What?" Hook closed the boom and put it back on the knights desk, coming around to look at what Robin was holding, his own eyes going wide with shock. "What the bloody hell is that?"It was Page 23. In all its glory."I think it's… I think this is me and Regina," Robin breathed, running his hands over the white dress the young Queen wore."But why the bloody hell does Percival have it?" asked Hook as he took the page from Robin to examine it. "And… and why does it look like it's a page from the lads storybook? Have you two ever met in this context?""No, not at all. I don't-... I have no idea where this even came from.""We have to get this to Emma and Regina," said Hook. "They'll be able to figure this out. Something's not right here."Robin nodded, folding the page up and putting it safely in his pocket before they hurried from the knights chambers.Please Review
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"Alright, Regina, this is going to be intense."Regina sat in the chair in her chambers, trying her best not to let her nerves show.She could do this. She HAD to do this."Last chance to back out," Emma tried again."I can take it," the Queen told the blonde, trying her best to keep her voice steady.Emma took the seat across from her and handed the brunette the dream catcher. "Look into the circle."With a wave of the blondes hand and a deep breath from the Queen the woven strings disappeared and was replaced by a very familiar scene.A scene that Regina had relived a thousand times in her nightmares only this was more real, more grounded. She felt every emotion that the young girl in the dream catcher felt, smelled the hay and the horses and old wood, her mother's perfume as they embraced, the leather of the saddles, felt the heaviness of the saddle ring on her finger…The brunette watched as her mother gave her a moment of false hope, embracing her warmly before she turned to the stable boy. She told him what it meant to be a good parent, to do what was best for their children.Then Cora's hand disappeared into his chest and she heard herself crying out as she ran to the stable boy while her mother crushed his heart into dust.And then it was gone."I'm sorry," Emma breathed, slack jawed and wide eyed at what she had witnessed."It was like it was happening all over again," Regina cried as tears made their way down her face.She felt a sharp pain as Emma collected the tear into the tiny vile and she remembered why she had put herself through that pain."Got it. Thank you. I didn't know how things were you you, I didn't know…" Emma shook her head, unable to continue.No one ever talked about Daniel or what happened that night. Not Snow, not Regina, not her father… Their story wasn't in the book. It always alluded too, of course, but what had happened, what Regina had gone through, what Snow had inadvertently caused..."You could see it too?" asked Regina, her voice still shaking with emotions."I'm so sorry," Emma told her again. "I don't understand how a mother could do something like that…"Regina shook her head, forcing herself to calm down. "She thought it was for the best. Look at what your own parents did to make sure you didn't turn dark."Emma said nothing to the accusation Regina threw at her. Surely there was a difference between what her parents did to Maleficent and Lily and what Cora had done to DanielRight?"Come on," the Queen said interrupting the blondes temporary crisis. "Let's go free Merlin."Minutes later the two women were at the tree, shivering in the cool night air, the ingredients laid out before them."Do it, Emma," Regina prompted. She wasn't sure why she was so anxious but her heart was pounding harder than it had in a long while and she was eager to get this over with.Emma quickly mixed the other ingredients together, the potion looking exactly how it looked in the book. Regina took a deep breath as she handed Emma the vile with her tear."The last ingredient," she muttered, her heart aching for her lost stable boy.Emma grabbed the vile and, with a deep breath, emptied the tear into the bowl.Both women gasped as purple smoke erupted from the bowl but just as soon as it had gone up, it evaporated into thin wisps in the night."It should have worked!" Regina cried as she looked down into the bowl, almost insulted at the spell. She had gone through all that pain for nothing? "It should have worked!""Maybe… maybe it's been too long?" asked Emma, completely at a loss. "Maybe you're over him?""How the hell could I be over him when there's never been anyone BUT him?!""Regina!"Emma and Regina turned and saw Hook and Robin racing towards them, a folded piece of paper in Robins hand."What's going on?" the Queen asked as the two men ran to meet them. "What happened?"Robin opened his mouth but just as quick there had been another voice bellowing out."Get away from the tree!" Arthur's voice shouted.The four of them turned and saw Arthur, Percival and several other knights storm towards the small group.Regina saw Robin step in front of Emma, but something was off about him. His face didn't look angry that they were being accosted or determined to protect the woman he loved but he actually looked… guilty?"You lot brought a thief into my castle and then you steal from me?!" Arthur barked at the group."What the hell are you talking about, no one stole a bloody thing!" Hook yelled but Regina and Robin's eyes met before they turned back to the irate king."So the poorest village in Camelot just HAPPENED to come into enough wealth to feed every goddamn family?" Arthur snapped, this time directing his anger at Robin. "With jewels that looked suspiciously like the ones in a priceless necklace my Queen just so happened to be missing?""I told you to put it back," Emma hissed.Robin swallowed hard, taking a step towards the king."I don't regret what I did," he announced to the knights. "But these people had nothing to do with that, this was my choice.""They do have something to do with it though," Percival yelled at the thief before he held up the outlaws forest green sachal. "You lied to them, you lied to us, and you lied to her!"He didn't specify which 'her' he was referring to but he figured both Regina and Emma would be thinking it had been themselves."Don't you EVER call me a liar!" Robin glared at the knight, holding up the folded piece of paper. "You're the one who's been lying, Percival. Why are you studying dark magic in your chambers? And why do you have-.""You stole the Crimson Crown!" Percival yelled out, knowing exactly what Robin had in his hand. "You were going to sell it; Merlin and the darkness be damned!""What the hell are you talking about?" Regina demanded. "I lost that in the lake.""Afraid not, M'lady," the knight said, holding up the bag once more. "After we discovered he stole the necklace we searched his bag. Found this hidden in it."Without warning he dumped out the sachal, the red spotted mushroom tumbling out from its depths.Robin stared open mouthed at the mushroom before he turned to a wide eyed Regina, the disappointment in her eyes piercing him like a dagger. "Regina, listen to me, I would never steal from you, I would NEVER lie to you. Why the hell would I do that? That was our chance to talk to Merlin!""She doesn't want to hear your lies, thief," Arthur spat. "None of us do."Robin swallowed hard, wishing more than anything he had his bow or at least a sword on him."Emma, Regina, they're lying. Okay me and Hook, we found something, there's dark magic here, you cannot trust them!""Guards, take him away," Arthur demanded. "The pirate too.""What the bloody hell did I do?!" Hook demanded as the knights advanced."If you think that we're going to allow a pirate to walk around free to steal and plunder more of Camelot's treasures then you are sadly mistaken," Arthur told him."Okay, wait a second," Regina said as she stepped in front of the outlaw. "You can't just lock them up!""I'm sorry, M'lady, but he deceived you. He deceived all of us," Percival said not unkindly. "Thievery in Camelot cannot go unpunished."A fireball erupted in Regina's hands as the guards closed in on Robin."No, you're lying, he wouldn't do that! You're not taking him anywhere!"Emma swallowed hard, putting a hand on Regina's shoulder trying to calm the Queen down. Even with Regina's magic, Hook nor Robin had any weapons and as far as Arthur and his knights knew Emma had no powers."We'll find a way to rescue them," the blonde whispered to the brunette. "We will, Regina, I promise."Robin turned around and instead of finding the light green eyes of his girlfriend he looked toward the brunette."I didn't steal from you, Regina," he told her as he grabbed her hands, giving her Page 23 as subtlety as he could. "I didn't. You have to believe me, Regina, please!"The brunette watched heartbroken as the guards grabbed the Outlaw and Pirate, forcing both men to their knees and wrenched their arms behind their back, putting them in shackles. They picked them backup and led him and Hook away leaving only them and the King with his knight."You're lucky I'm not punishing all of you," Arthur told them with a sharp glare before he took a deep breath. "But here in Camelot, we don't believe in punishing people for the crimes as others."Arthur nodded towards the tree. "Take the rest of the night off. I think we all need some time to cool off."With a polite nod Arthur turned and headed back into the castle."I'll go tell Snow and David what happened," Emma told the Queen before she too headed back into the castle.Regina glared at the knight, storming up to him."Robin didn't do anything. This doesn't make any sense. He told me about the necklace, he wouldn't risk-... He wouldn't risk not helping us defeat the darkness.""The mushroom was in his bag, M'lady. I'm sorry you found out like this.""But… why would he-?""He's a thief, Regina. That's all he knows. I'm sure he thought he had a good reason it, he was probably going to sell it and give the money to the poor, same as he did with the necklace."Regina looked down at the ground, the paper firmly hidden in her hands. Percival reaches out and rubbed her shoulder, happy when she didn't pull away."I know you have feelings for the thief.""I don't.""You do. But…" Percival sighed, willing any hatred and disgust he had for the Queen to be replaced by longing and understanding. "I don't know, M'lady. I thought the Savior would have more respect for yourself than to fall for a man who's made it his life work to steal from others. Especially one who…""One who what?"Percival sighed, bending over and grabbing something from the pile that had been dumped out of Robins bag."He's in love with Emma," he told her as he handed the Queen the ring he had picked up.Regina's face fell as she studied the ring, a stunningly gorgeous gold band with a rather large diamond in the center with the band encased in rubies."He's… going to propose. To Emma."Percival nodded, biting his tongue to keep from smirking.The ring had come from Queen Guineveres personal collection, same as the necklace that he knew the knight couldn't resist. Especially not when Percival had 'accidentally' let it slip within earshot of the thief how there had been another funeral for some peasant child that had died of starvation.As far as Percival knew, Robin had never once even laid eyes on the ring that his soulmate held in his hand."I'm sorry, M'lady. I know this must be hard for you."Regina said nothing, just continuing to stare at the ring.Percival took a deep breath before he continued."It's getting quite chilly out. Why don't you come inside, I'll get you a nice cup of spiced wine and we can talk some more? Would that be alright, M'lady?"Regina swallowed hard and shook her head. "No… No, I think I'd rather just be alone right now."Percival tried not to let his anger show. He had to get her to drink that potion. Once she no longer loved Robin, the spell could remain unbroken for as long as he wanted. Not to mention her love for her family would be gone as well, making it easier to get her to agree to hand over the dagger."Just one drink?""I'm really tired.""I won't take no for an answer."The Queen raised her brow at the knight. "I'm afraid you're going to have to. Good night, Percival."Without so much as a blink of the eye Regina turned and walked back into the castle.Once she was safely back inside her chambers with the door locked, Emma was busy telling her parents what had happened to the two men, Regina took a look at what Robin had given her in the moment he grabbed her hands.She gasped as her eyes fell on the page that showed her and the thief kissing inside the very pub she could have met the man with the lion tattoo.She ran her fingers over the page, tears welling in her eyes as she did."It is him," she whispered. "He's the man with the lion tattoo…"Regina closed her eyes as tears ran down them. It wasn't fair. Emma Swan has stolen everything from her, she had ruined her life.Her soulmate, who was going to propose to the daughter of the woman who ruined her life, was sitting in a medieval dungeon because of Emma.Robin was supposed to belong to her.We're those images she saw at the lake, the dreams she had of the thief, flashes a life that they were supposed to share if Emma hadn't if come along? No… no that didn't make sense. Emma had been present in some of those dreams.Something wasn't right. None of this was right. Now that she thought of it, Robin wouldn't have bought that ring. He couldn't have, he didn't even have a job back in Storybrooke. He lived out in the woods in his tent, he hunted for his food and what little money he did make from trading the skins of the animals he hunted he used to buy clothes and supplies for the Merry Men's camp.He wouldn't have stolen an engagement ring either, she knew the thief. He would have wanted to work for the ring or would have made it out of something from the forest.None of this felt right.A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts and Regina wiped her eyes before she went and answered it."What?" she asked the person who had interrupted her brooding.It was Percival, holding a glass of something or other and a sword pointed at her throat."I really must insist on that drink."Regina tried to quickly close the door but Percival forced his way in, a darkness in his eyes as he held the sword at her throat."Raise your hands an inch, make a sound, and your pretty little neck gets a pretty little hole in it," he snarled. Percival held out the cup. "Drink it."She shook her head. "No."Regina winced at the sharp steel pressed against her skin. "Drink the goddamn drink.""No."A smirk appeared on his boyish face. "Then shall I go pay a visit to the dungeons? See if your thief's head is just as pretty off his body as it is attached to it?""If you lay a hand on him, I will rip you apart!""Then drink the potion!"Regina's face fell, swallowing hard as she contemplated her options. "If I drink that potion, Robin Hood lives? That's the deal you want to make?""With all my heart."Regina took the goblet from him, her voice shaking."Then congratulations. You win."Percival watched as Regina downed the potion, glaring at him as she drank.Her gasped as she felt a tightness in her heart and she fell to the ground, gasping for breath. A sharp coldness overtook her and settled deep into her bones, ridding her of any warmth she had."What is this?" Regina strained to speak as the coldness spread. "What poison is this?!"Percival smirked down at the Queen. "Any love you had for your thief? For your friends, for your son? It's disappearing. In a moment, you won't have any love for anyone left in that shriveled black lump of coal you call a heart."Her eyes grew wide, panic overwhelming her to the point of near hysterics."No… no, do you realize what you've done?!"The coldness was almost unbearable.The knight leaned in closer. "I know EXACTLY what I did…"Regina reached out with a shaking hand, her breath coming out in a crisp fog before her eyes shut.Percival waited for a moment as the room grew still. He watched as Regina slowly opened her eyes and he swallowed hard as she gazed up and smiled that same smile he had seen so long ago.The Evil Queen… was back.
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Percival took a step back as Regina slowly stood, the same darkness in her eyes he saw so long ago when he was a boy and watched as she burned his entire world.You're no longer a child, he reminded himself as he looked at the Queen. You're a knight of the round table. And you have a job to do..He took a deep breath, his sword still pointed at her."Regina?" he said, his voice cautious."That's a bit informal."Her voice was a world apart from what he was used to. Darker, slicker, deeper… like how a snake would speak if it had a voice."It's your majesty," she purred."Of course, your majesty."It was then she noticed he had a sword at her throat and she scoffed as she flicked her hand and the sharp metal went flying from his hands as easy if she had taken it from a baby."What are you doing in here anyway?"Percival grinned. She didn't remember he as given her the potion."I um… I came to talk to you. About Emma Swan.""Of course. It's always about the blonde," she spat. "She's the idiot who went and turned herself into the dark one, I didn't ask her to take the darkness from me. And now they DEMAND my help? After what that families done to me?""They told me," he lied. He had no idea what Snow had done to the Queen. He had heard rumors that the Queen was hunting for Snow White because she 'ruined her life' but he never bothered with the more finer details. "What she did to you. I'm so sorry, Regina, the injustice that was done to you? It's barbaric.""Sorry?" She laughed a sharp laugh, like fingernails on a chalkboard. "No… they're not sorry. Not yet." She took a step towards Percival and he shivered. Not just from the fear but the literal coldness that was exuding off of her.She pressed up against him and he winced, the bitter frigidness seeping off her settling into his own skin.Apparently when the spell claimed to 'take a victims warmth' it wasn't just speaking metaphorically."Not until Snow White's heart is nothing more than a pile of dust at my feet will that disgusting family be sorry."Without so much as a blink of the eye Regina pushed past him and stormed down the hallway.Percival swallowed hard, forcing himself to speak as he followed her."I'm on your side," he told her, struggling to keep his voice steady. "I am, Re- your majesty. But killing Snow White won't bring you what you want.""I assure you, Knight, I've never wanted anything more," she told him without looking at him."There might be a better way. A way for you can hurt Snow White AND her daughter." He waited for a sharp comeback but when none came he continued. "You use the dagger to get Emma to hurt Snow."A twisted evil grin rose on her lips as she finally stopped mid stride and turned to look at him.Luckily she was too caught up in her revenge to ask how he knew Emma could be controlled by the dagger."It'll destroy her… and her Shepard husband will be forced to watch his precious daughter kill his lovely little wife…"Percival nodded in agreement. "Indeed it will. But Dark One's have been known to resist the dagger. Emma isn't only fully dark, she's also the savior. There's no way you'd be able to control her with her resisting you that much. But you know what will make its power even more powerful? So powerful no one on earth could withstand the call of the dagger?""What?""If we combined it with Excalibur. All we need is an ember from the Flame of Prometheus, we can reforge the sword and then Emma will be unable to resist its magic."Regina scoffed in disbelief. "I haven't time for some side quest or to waste time with that stupid dagger, I need Snow White dead now.""Your majesty-.""If you want the flame, you're going to have to get it on your own." She turned away from him. "I've got a heart to crush."Percival groaned as he ran his hands through his hair as she walked away. He didn't realize how impulsive the Evil Queen would be.The knight would have to come up with a new plan....Regina stormed into the work room Arthur had given them, a crazed grin on her face as she saw the Charming family standing there defenseless, like lambs to the slaughter."Snow… White..." she hissed as she stalked into the room.Snow's brows knitted together as she turned to look at her stepmother. She hadn't see the brunette look at her like that in years."Regina, you okay?""I'll be perfectly fine once you're six feet under ground.""Regina… What's going on?" the prince asked cautiously but everyone noticed that he had taken a few steps to the left, effectively blocking Snow from the Queen's vision."The only thing going on with me, Shepard, is that I want your annoying little wife is to stop breathing." Another insane grin. "Which thankfully will happen very shortly.""Okaaaay, why don't we dial down the crazy?" Emma said as she got up from her chair and made her way over to the Queen. Emma put what was supposed to be a comforting hand on her shoulder but immediately pulled it away gasping."Jesus Christ Regina, you're freezing!"The Queen rounded on the blonde, a fire in her eyes so intense it would have frightened the blonde if she hadn't had magic."HOW DARE YOU PRESUME TO TOUCH ME?!" Regina roared before using all of her magic to shove her, slamming the blonde into the wall.Or at least she would have been slammed into the wall if her Dark One instincts hadn't poofed her to the other side of the room."You're just like your mother!" the Queen barked as she advanced on the blonde, a fireball in her hand. "Always doing whatever you want, never thinking of how others might feel!"The Queen launched the fireball at Emma who, once again, magiced herself out of harm's way."Regina, calm down! What the hell has gotten into you?!"Emma demanded, her eyes wide with shock."For once, I'm seeing clear, Ms. Swan," Regina hissed. "For the first time in a LONG time I remembered the only thing that truly matters, the only thing I want in this miserable life..." The Queen turned her attention back to Snow who was clutching David's arm in a fear she hadn't felt in an equally long time. She didn't have her bow and her husband was without her sword. "Your head on a spike.""Regina, if you lay a hand on her I promise you I will make sure that Henry knows you hurt her!" Emma barked. "I swear to God you will lose him!"The blonde wasn't sure what Reginas reaction would be to her threat.Unadulterated fury at the thought of Henry being used against her, a sliver of clarity as the queen realized all she had to lose, grief at the possibility of losing her son...But never, in a thousand different scenarios, could she have imagined what actually happened.Total indifference."Let the brat hate me," Regina said with a careless shrug. "What has he ever done for me besides take my money, eat my food and treat me like some piriah when he found you? I never should have adopted the pathetic loser in the first place. Now where was I? Oh yes…" The sadistic grin returned as, with a flick of her wrist, she sent David flying across the room and crashing into a table. Then in a quick burst of purple smoke she stood right in front of Snow. "I was in the middle of killing you.""NO!" David roared as Regina plunged her hand into Snow's chest."STOP!" Emma screamed, raising her hand and freezing Regina where she stood.The blonde wrenched Snow backwards, her heart still safely tucked away in her chest."You alright?" David asked with a pant as he rushed over to Snow who was staring slack jawed and wide eyed at the Queen.Snow nodded, taking several deep breaths to calm her nerves."What the hells wrong with her?" asked the princess, clinging to her prince."She's cursed," Emma told her parents as she walked up the stunned Queen. "She may hate you but nothing but serious dark magic would make her say those things about Henry."Emma reached out and grabbed her hand, yanking it back just as quickly, the cold on her body so intense it almost burned her."Something's definitely wrong with her, she's literally ice cold.""Maybe that tear spell did something?""I know what happened."The Charmings turned and saw Percival in the doorway, looking as anxious as they were."I saw her in her room a while ago, she was making some spell to free Merlin but it went horribly wrong.""What happened?""She took away her ability to love.""How the hell did she do that?!""It doesn't matter, what matters is finding a way to break the spell, and there's only one way to do that. We warm her heart back up with an ember from the Flame of Prometheus.""The what of who now?""The Flame of Prometheus. It was mankind's original fire. It was the flame that forged Excalibur. We get the ember, we save Regina AND use it to cut away the darkness."Percival pretended not to notice David and Snow look at Emma."There's a catch though," the knight told them, choosing his words carefully. "Only those with magic can retrieve the flame. Unless you want to unfreeze the Queen, I don't see how-.""I'll do it," Emma told him. "I have… I have magic.""Emma," said Snow, grabbing hold of her daughter's hand. "You can't.""Your mother's right," David added. "We'll find another way.""How many other ways is there?" Emma asked, looking between the two of them. "Every one of you have risked your lives fighting to cut away the darkness, Regina doesn't have any love left because of it, Robin is rotting in the dungeons because of it. Speaking of…"The blonde turned back to Percival, narrowing her eyes at him. "He told me not to trust you, he said you were dabbling in dark magic. Why the hell shouldn't I listen to him?""I love my King," he told them, the first speck of truth he had spoken to them. "I would do anything for him and Camelot. If that means learning about dark magic in order to help free Merlin so he can help Arthur then I will learn about the darkest magic there is out there."Emma looked at the Knight, swallowing hard at the admission. Hadn't she became the Dark One to save Regina? To save everyone, really, knowing what would have happened to the town if the Queen had possessed that much darkness. Could she really fault Percival for merely studying dark magic to help his King?Plus, she reminded herself, her boyfriend was far too skeptical of magic. He didn't mind that she had it or used it, but he didn't dabble in it. So if he saw someone studying that much dark magic…"Fine," Emma said finally. "I trust you. How do I get this flame?""It's less than a days ride from here. Once you're there… you will need to face the original dark one. The one whom all other dark ones were born," he told her, reciting what Arthur had learned from Merlin's prophecies and books. "You will face a test. If you pass, you will gain the ember. If you fail… the darkness you're trying to hide will stain your soul."Emma's eyes went wide with shock. "How… how did you know I-.""It's best if you don't say so out loud. Camelot's walls have ears," Percival warned her but not unkindly."Did you tell Arthur?"He shook his head."Why not?""Because I see you resisting the darkness. I see you fighting against turning into… that. My family was killed by a great evil, a terrible disgusting Evil who embraced the darkness inside and all that came with it. But you? You're fighting it. In my eyes, that makes you a hero, Emma."The blonde swallowed hard before she nodded, turning to her parents."I can do this, you guys," she told them. "I have to.""We know," said David, wrapping his arm around his still anxious wife. "You're going to come back to us, Emma."She gave them a weary smile before the three of them embraced in a hug that ended far too quickly for all concerned.Emma took a shaky breath as she flicked her hand and the anti magic leather cuff found its way on the Queen's wrist. With another flick Regina disappeared in a puff of dark gray smoke."She's in the dungeons for the time being," Emma told the group. "She won't be able to hurt you.""I need to inform Arthur of our latest prisoner and then we'll be on our way," Percival told Emma with a slight bow before he turned and walked out.The knight made his way into the room where Arthur was."Is Regina helping you get the ember?" The King asked without looking up from the cauldron he was currently stirring another ingredient into."No but I have another plan to get it," he told Arthur as he looked down at the spellbook his king was looking at. "By the time we get back it'll be ready?"Arthur nodded as he stirred the concoction. "All I need is someone to cast the spell, we tether Robin Hood's soul to the sword, you break your curses and then…"Percival smirked at the king. "Then I can finally have my revenge…"Please Review
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So… not only have you managed to get us locked in the Camelot dungeons, them taking my Hook was a nice little added bonus thank you for that, you failed to let the girls know about the spells Percival was looking at and you didn't get to explain that painting you found of you and Regina… I must say, thief, when you get yourself into trouble you REALLY get yourself into trouble."Robin rolled his eyes at the pirate who shared his cell. While Robin had been shackled to the wall, apparently even Camelot had heard of the thief's daring prison escapes, Hook had been allowed to freely roam the 9x13 cell, none of the guards or Arthur thinking that a one handed man could do much damage.Both men had tried for a good thirty minutes looking for something that could be used for Robin to pick the locks but both had come up empty.Hook continued as if his cellmate hadn't rolled his eyes at his complaints. "And all this just to give some peasants a couple of jewels.""They were starving," Robin countered without looking at him."True. Only now we're gonna be the ones bloody starving."Another roll of the eyes."Even if I hadn't stolen the necklace they would have framed me anyway," he explained. "I did not steal that mushroom.""So what? Just tell them you did and beg for mercy. Maybe they'll go lenient on you."Robin shook his head. "No.""Why? They already know you stole the necklace.""Because I'm not a liar. My code-.""Enough with the bloody code!" Hook barked. "Your code is what got us in here!""I will not lie," Robin told him, a sharpness in his voice that signaled the finality of this conversation. "They framed me.""Well why the bloody hell would they frame you?""I don't know!" Robin shouted, his voice echoing off the damp stone surrounding the two of them.Hook raised his brow at the usually calm collected outlaw. He had never even heard him raise his voice before.Robin stood up from the ground, the chains attached to his ankles and wrists clinking together, sending a shiver up his spine. "Okay I don't know why they framed me, Hook! I don't know why Percival had a painting of me and the Queen, I don't know why he was looking at random love spells, I don't know why I saw images of me and her together at the lake and I don't know how I'm going to get out of this prison and get back to Regina and my son!""...Emma.""What?!""You don't know how to get back to Emma and your son. You said Regina."Robin swallowed hard, realizing what he had said, his anger simmered out to be replaced by embarrassment."That's what I meant, I just-... it was a slip of the tongue."Hook said nothing as Robin slid back down the wall and pulled his knees to his chest, a rather difficult thing to do considering his chains made it almost impossible to even stand."I hate not having a plan," the outlaw admitted. "I never did a job without an exit strategy, to keep my men safe, to keep myself out of danger… it's killing me being in this situation and not having one. But what hurts worse than all that? The fact you're in here with me when you've done nothing wrong… I would never… EVER... let one my men take a punishment he hasn't earned, especially when the fault lies with me, and I am truly, TRULY sorry for letting you down, Killian."The sincerity in his words almost made the pirate cringe. He wasn't used to being spoken too with such truth, and definitely was not used to spending much time with a truly honorable man. Sure pirates had their own sets of laws and codes but the honor and code that Robin Hood and his men had? That wasn't just another book of rules, that was an entirely different genre altogether housed in another library on the opposite side of the world.Hook sighed as he crossed the dungeon, sitting beside the thief."You're too hard on yourself, Mate," Hook told him. "I'm not one of your Merry Men.""No, but you're still being punished for my mistake. I'll never be able to forgive myself, nor do I expect you to forgive me."Hook raised a brow at the dark blonde outlaw. How did Emma put up with all this martyrdom and codes? Regina, sure, she would have all but dragged him the bed over it but Emma Swan? It didn't make sense."You've got to ease up, Mate," said Hook. "These things happen. You're an amazing leader, Locksley, even if you screwed up once in your life. Far better than me at least," the pirate scoffed. "Hell back when I captained the Jolly Roger, there wasn't a week that went by where one of my crew didn't end up with a sword in his throat, a bullet in his chest, or his head mounted on top of the crows nest…"Robin spared a glance over at the pirate who looked like he was simply reminiscing about a previous days weather."But they still sailed with you? They still volunteered to man your ship knowing they could die at your hands at any moment?"Hook nodded. "They knew that if I was willing to kill my own crew for simply being too loud while I was trying to sleep, that I would do ANYTHING to get them their fair share of the treasure. Besides I never killed them if they were competent sailors, I was fair when I handed out the treasure, I kept them fed and kept a roof over their heads, I was out there manning the sails during a storm alongside them and I had bravery. That's all a good Pirate Captain needs to do to win the loyalty of his crew. Even if it is somewhat fleeting."Robin glanced down at the stone floor, reminding himself that the man sitting beside him was no longer that villain. That he had saved Emma and Henry in Neverland and he owed his love's life to the pirate."But I mean you're a leader to a bunch of rowdy weapons capable outlaw," Hook added. "I'm sure there's been sometimes when you had to-.""One," Robin cut him off, looking down at the floor. "Just once.""... Once? You've only had to killed one of your own men?"The dark blonde man nodded. "My Merry Men's loyalty doesn't come from fear, or from the fact that I share treasure or keep the rain off of our heads… It comes from a sense of pride, and honor. They want to help those less fortunate. They trust me to lead them, I trust them to have honor and be righteous and in order to do that. I have to set an example." Robin looked over at Hook, almost as if he was desperate for him to understand. "How can I expect them to follow my code if I don't follow it myself?"Hook waited quietly for Robin to finish."His name was Guye Gisborne," he explained. "He was relatively new to the Merry Men but I thought he wanted to make a change, to help people. One day we broke into this Lords castle, I can't even remember his name. Those who lived on his land were too poor to even barter with their neighbors and every day more and more starving bodies would pile up. This Lord had a daughter, and while we were searching for gold, I heard a woman scream. It wasn't a normal 'help we're being robbed' scream, but one of true fear and pain. I went running to see what had happened and I saw Guye. On top of the Lord's daughter."I pulled him off, pointed an arrow at him, told him to leave whatever gold he had stolen from the castle and if I saw his face again I would kill him. He left but came back to Sherwood Forest that night… Turns out his wife had been killed by this lord and he wanted revenge and the whole reason he joined us was to find a way to sneak into the castle. 'Hurt the one who's hurt your love'. He told me since I didn't let him have his revenge and since Marian was already gone, he was gonna kill my son, let me know how he felt…"Bloody Hell…" Hook muttered."Before he could even blink I put an arrow right between his eyes," Robin told him, the darkness in his voice stunning the pirate. "I had just lost Marian, I couldn't… the thought of anyone hurting Roland…""I know, Mate." Hook reached over, clapping the thief on the shoulder. "You did the right thing.""Yeah…" Robin cleared his throat, shaking the memory of the dead Merry Man from his thoughts. "But my original point still stands.""What, that you're incapable of not being a bloody sap?""That I got you in here."Hook rolled his eyes, throwing his arm and his stump into the air. "Fine. You're the one responsible for locking me up. Happy? But did you forget we have the Dark One, Snow White and Prince Charming, and the Evil Queen all working on ways to free us?""Regina.""Pardon?""Its Regina. That's what she prefers… she hates the Evil moniker."Hook leaned against the wall, looking at the thief for a long moment. "Weren't you the one insulting her just a few days ago?""I never once called her 'Evil' though."The Pirate chuckled, realization hitting him. "Oh my God, Robin… I can't believe I didn't see it earlier.""What?""You. You and Regina…""What about her?"Hook smiled. "You lov-."!CRASH!"SNOOOOW!"Both men jumped up from the floor, gaping at what had suddenly appeared in the cell beside theirs. A fuming Regina, angrier than either man had ever seen her.A sudden chill came with her presence and the Pirate and Outlaw shivered from the cold."Let me out of here!" she roared as she grabbed hold of the bars and shook them as if to pry them loose. "I will have you heart, Snow! I WILL HAVE YOUR HEART!""Regina, calm down!" Robin told her, earning her attention for the first time, his blue eyes wide with shock. "What are you even doing down here?""Why don't you mind your own business, Thief," she hissed dangerously."Whoa, Love, you need to calm down," Hook tried. "What the hell happened to you?"An icy grin appeared on her lips that, even with all of their lived experiences staring death in the face, terrified the men."The only thing I need… is Snow's head on a spike."Her voice was a sharp purr and Robin swallowed hard, unwilling and unable to take his eyes from her. She was both terrible and beautiful all at once. He had never wanted anything else in his life.Once he could speak again, Robin tried again to get through to her."Regina, this isn't you. You're not that person anymore.""Oh this is EXACTLY who I am."She sauntered over to bars that separated her cell from theirs, Robin's eyes glued to her hips the whole time.She was truly stunning….Without warning she grabbed hold of Robins collar, and slammed him against the bars."You're just not used to seeing me as I truly am." She leaned in even closer, and he could feel her ice cold breath on his lips and as easy as it would be to get out of her grasp he found himself not wanting too. "You choose to see the camouflage but this is the real me, Thief. Someone incapable of ever having happiness or love."Regina pressed up against him, as close as she could while the bars still separated them and Robin shivered as he felt the iciness of her body. "Who only wants one thing in this world… To be the cause of Snow White's death."A realization hit Hook as he stared at the Queen, her sultry words standing out to him like a bright light shining at midnight."Incapable of love…" the pirate muttered her words out loud. He snapped his head back, grabbing hold of Robin and easily pulling the stunned outlaw back from the powerless Queen. "Mate, the spell!"Robin, still transfixed at what had just transpired between the two of them, didn't then from the Queen."The spell, Robin, the spell!"The words finally reached the thief's ears and he shook his head, finally turning to the pirate. "What spell?""The spell!" Hook yelled again. "In Percivals room, the one that was earmarked!"The thief appeared confuzzled for a moment before his blue eyes went as wide as saucer plates. "It takes away someone's ability to love…""We thought he was going to curse Emma but he didn't, he cursed Regina!"Robin shook his head. "But… why, that wouldn't make any sense?""I don't know but how else do you explain the return of her bloodlust?"Both men glanced at the Queen, who was merely glaring at the two of them as if to prove there was no way she ever had love in her heart and this was no curse."Something doesn't make sense though," Hook continued, the two men turning back towards one another. "The spell, it would only work if someone had someone who truly loved them.""She has Henry," Robin offered, being answers by the pirate with a shake of his head."No I read that spell, true love, even between a mother and child, wouldn't be strong enough to cast that curse. The victim and the one who loved her, their souls had to be intertwined, they had to be bound, the two of them had to be…"Another realization struck as suddenly as the first. Hook glanced down at the lion tattoo the outlaw featured predominantly on his arm and the story a lonely Regina had told him in a wine cellar came to the forefront of his mind..."A long time ago Tinkerbell showed me a man in a tavern who could be my soulmate, a second chance at happiness. I never saw his face, only his tattoo. Robin… has that same tattoo."Robin Hood WAS Regina's soulmate. He had been used to cast this curse…"It's you," Hook breathed, his green eyes wide with shock. "It's you, it's… you're her soulmate."Robin shook his head. "No I'm not, I'm in love with Emma.""No you aren't.""How dare you," Robin growled. "I love that woman.""You think you do but you don't, something's wrong!" Hook grabbed his right arm and while Robin tried to pull away there wasn't much he could do while in four point chains. "Regina told me that Tinkerbell showed her a man in a tavern who was her soulmate. Her second chance.""What does that have to do with me?""She never saw his face." Hook held up his own tattoo for him to see. "She only saw his tattoo. YOUR tattoo…"This time it was Robin's face to fall. He thought back at the dreams he had of her, at the moments of the lake, how he felt connected to her in a way… in a way he never felt with Emma."It was you?"Both men turned towards Regina who was looking at Robin in shock and awe. "You're the man with the lion tattoo?" Her shock turned to a flower. "Of course. It makes sense my soulmate would be with the daughter of the woman who stole my first love.""This is madness…" the thief breathed. "Regina, I-... I don't… wait, even if we were soulmates, how would Percival know? For all he knows I'm in love with Emma.""I don't… I don't know, maybe… maybe what happened at the lake, he just assumed?""How would he even get my hair though, I've never even been… alone… with him…"Robin swallowed hard, suddenly thinking back to when he woke up on the ground with Percival standing over him. The knight said he had tripped and blacked out but that made even less sense now then when it had happened."What? Robin, what are you thinking?""The night I told Regina I stole the necklace, I-... I blacked out, Percival said I fell and hit my head…""He stole a lock of your hair to cast the curse. It's the only thing that makes sense," said Hook. "But that would mean…"Robin swallowed hard, looking looked from the stunned thief to the stunned Queen, no longer wearing her mask of hatred."It means I'm her soulmate… it means…"He held his wrist up to where the bars were widest, the black shield surrounding the lion almost glowing in the soft light of the torches. "It means we were meant to be together."Regina swallowed hard, a hair of warmth starting to return to her. She reached through the bars, lightly fingering the skin above the tattoo. Her touch was so cold it nearly burned but Robin didn't flinch, he just looked at her porcelain colored face as she gazed down at the tattoo.Her breath came out shaky as she moved her hand still, half an inch away from the midnight black ink.The Queen took a deep breath, hesitating for half a moment before she forced her hand to wrap around the tattoo."Is this real?" she breathed as she caresses the tattoo, even more warmth spreading throughout her. "Could… you and I…?""There's one way to find out," said Robin. "True loves kiss.""She doesn't have any love left," Hook reminded him. "It won't work, she doesn't remember loving you. IF we're right about you and her being together at all."Robin shook his head, putting his hand over hers. "If what you say is true, that me and her are soulmates, then what we have is stronger than true love, it's stronger than any curse…"He reached through the bars, burying his hand in her hair. "Do you want to try, M'lady?"Regina swallowed hard, finally looking up from the tattoo to gaze at him, brown eyes locked on blue, blue eyes that were somehow unknown but at the same time so familiar to her…She wordlessly nodded, not tearing her gaze from his. Slowly he leaned in, the coldness coming off of her a touch warmer than she was before. He hesitated for only half a second before he touched his lips against hers...A blue shockwave of light erupted from the the Putlaw and the Queen. The force threw Hook and Regina to the ends of their cells and both landed with a loud crash into the stone walls while Robin s chains prevented him from being thrown too far. All at once a flood of voices and memories and images came rushing back to the thief, his life with the Queen, his true soulmate, rushing back to him.It was Regina. She was the woman he loved, it was never Emma, it was Regina. It had always been her…"Emma…"Robin looked behind him and saw Hook stand, his legs shaking, his eyes wide with shock. "Emma…" the pirate said again. "Emma, I love Emma, I… we were cursed, she…"Robin barely heard the pirate as he turned back to the Queen."Regina…" he breathed as he looked at her, as if he was finally seeing clear after living in a fog. "Regina," Robin called louder to the unmoving Queen as a slow steady drop of blood ran down her forehead where she had crashed against the stone. "Regina, M'lady, wake up! Regina! REGINA!"
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"Did you get it?!"Emma grinned, holding up the ember. "We got it."Both Snow and Charming ran over, embracing their daughter as tight as they could, the small family letting out the first since smiles since they had gotten to Camelot."I'm gonna be alright," Emma told them as she took a step back. "I am.""Your daughter resisted the darkness and passed her test," Percival added as he walked into the room, he too was smiling. "Now all we need is the dagger, reforge it with Excalibur and we'll be able to cut the darkness out of her.""Well how do we get Excalibur?" asked Charming, not taking his hand from Emma's back. "Ones no good without the other.""Leave that to me," Percival said with a nod. "Arthur trusts me, if I say we need Excalibur he'll give me Excalibur.""I know." Emma gave a kind smile to the knight. "I trust you, Percival. But before we can join reforge Excalibur, we need to wake Regina up.""I know you want your friend to be alright but destroying the darkness is more important than letting her be without love for a bit longer."Not to mention the ember would do absolutely nothing for the curse he put on Regina. Only the kiss of a soulmate could break that curse but since she didn't remember that Robin Hood WAS her soulmate, it would be practically impossible to break until Percival decided it was time to break it using the antidote, a lock of hair from the person she hated most, in this case Snow White, which he had gotten soon after he got the lock of hair from Robin.No one's love was that powerful.Emma shook her head. "No you don't get it, we need Regina to find the dagger. She hid it somewhere, no one knows where but her."Percival blinked. "What?""Yeah, Regina hid the dagger for me. We all agreed she would keep it the most safe and wouldn't hesitate to control me if she needed," Emma explained.Percivals hand curled into a trembling fist. No… no this wasn't right. It wasn't fair. He was so close, SO close to getting his revenge and now there was another goddam quest he had to go on? Another set of lies he had to come up with?"No," the knight snarled. "No… it's not fair, it's not FAIR!""Whoa, Percival, you okay?" asked Emma, her father's arm clutching her tighter while Snow oh so subtly stepped in front of her and if she hadn't been so confused she would have thought it was adorable that even though she was the most powerful person in all the realms, her parents still had the instinct to protect her.The knight ignored Emma's question as well as the looks the Charmings were giving him. He was done with these foolish quests and games."Arthur!" Percival shouted to no one in particular. "Arthur!"The group watched as the famed King walked in from one of the side doors, his hand resting on the hilt of his broken swords while three lesser knights flanked him."Percival, what's happened? Did you get the ember?" the king asked as he approached them while his guards went over and stood by the small family."Wait you knew what we were doing?" asked Snow, her question being ignored."Regina hid the dagger!" Percival barked, every frustration he had since he saw that witch walk into his home overflowing. "Only she knows where it is!""Percival, calm down," Arthur told him but his knight was too far gone to listen to reason."No! I'm sick and tired of all these quests, of all these lies, of everything!""We break the second curse, we get her to tell us where it is and we carry on with our plan.""And then what?" the knight snapped. "Another quest for another enchanted item? Another adventure, another thirty odd years of waiting for my revenge?!""Okay, one of you tell me what's going on and tell me now," Emma demanded. "What the hell are you talking about, what revenge? And what do you mean 'second' curse? How many is she under?"Arthur and Percival looked over at Emma as if they remembered they were standing there before Arthur gave a curt nod to the silent guards the Charmings had all but forgotten about and without warning the one closest to Emma grabbed an anti magic cuff from his pocket and slapped it on her wrist before the three guards pointed their swords at the family."What the hell?!" the blonde gasped as she yanked her hand away from the guard, feeling her magic already draining from her. "Percival, what-?!"But before she could finish her thought there was a loud crash that almost deafened the gathered group. Then just as quick a blue shockwave of magic slamming through the entire castle, present room not excluded.The Charmings as well as those who lived in Camelot were slammed against the brilliantly painted walls as the blue force disappeared into thin air.David was the first to recover. He slowly stood, first helping a sluggish Emma to her feet and then Snow, the guards, Arthur and Percival all picking themselves up."Hook…" Emma breathed, her voice trembling. "Hook…"Percival swallowed hard, his heart slamming painfully hard against his chest.His curse. It was broken. His memories hadn't been affected but he knew; things had gone back to normal.Robin was back in love with Regina and Emma with Hook…Everything was ruined.The blonde turned her attention to the knight."You," she hissed. "You did this…"Without waiting Emma stormed over to the knight, a storm brewing in his eyes."Emma the cuff, you don't have magic!" Snow warned her."I don't need magic, I still have a fist!" she yelled before bringing her fist back and slamming it square in Percival's face. Percival crashed into the table but came back just as quick with a mean right hook to Emmas jaw, sending her flying across the room and slamming into the stone wall. With an angry grunt, Percival was on her in half a second and smashed his fist into Emma's side as hard as he could."Seize them!" Arthur shouted at the guards, pointing at Snow and Charming.David reached for the sword at his hip, swinging it expertly and landing the steel in the first guards chest, effectively dropping him to the ground. He swung his sword around just in time to catch the second guards steel, the clang of steel echoing as he and the guards danced a deadly waltz.Percival struck again, getting Emma right in his eye. Emma forced herself to see through the pain and the tears that had come of their own accord and used every bit of strength she had to hit Percival across the jaw.The Knight was only dazed for a second but that's all that Emma needed to take advantage and grab Percival by the collar of his shirt and send them both crashing into the table and onto the floor.Flesh hit flesh, steel hit steel as gasps and pants and painful cries filled the room.For half a second Percival had the upper hand and was on top of Emma. Just as he drew back his fist, the Savior slammed her fist into the Knights stomach. Hard.Percival gasped for breath that wouldn't come. Emma shoved Percival off of him and quickly got up off the floor, grabbing the sword at his hip and letting it a loud cry as she went to swing it."EVERYONE STOP OR SHE DIES!"Emma, Percival and David, who had managed to defeat the three foes turned and saw Arthur, with a jeweled dagger at Snows throat."This dagger might not be magical but it can still cut through flesh!" Arthur shouted, his eyes darting wildly around the room. "Now everyone calm down!"Emma glared at The Knight as he got off the floor, leaning against the table for support."Why did you curse me?" Her voice was low and deadly. "Why did you make me no longer love Hook, what did I ever do to you?""Oh shut up this wasn't even about you!" the knight shouted. "You and your Pirate were just collateral damage! I wanted to hurt Regina!"He spat the name as of it were poison."I wanted her to watch her soulmate fall in love with someone else, I wanted her to know what it was like to be alone, I wanted her to watch as her life was destroyed!""So you made Robin Hood fall in love with me," Emma finished, hardly able to see out of her now bruised and swollen eye. "And she would have to watch us be happy together.""I hadn't counted on him falling back in love with her so fast. I thought I'd have a month, Hell a week or two at least before they found their way back to one another. It hasn't even been 3 days.""It doesn't matter," David told the knight. "Your curse was broken, they saved themselves. Arthur…" He turned his attention to the King. "We have what we need to mend Excalibur, we can destroy the darkness once and for all. You can be the legend you were always meant to be… just give me the sword."Percival swallowed hard when he saw his King's hand start to lower. No… no, he had to get his revenge, he couldn't come this far and be denied it, not when he was on the cusp of it…"Regina won't show you where the dagger is," Percival told him. "She won't, not after all we've done to her. She's going to steal your sword and then you will never fulfill Merlin's prophecies!" He held out his hand towards the king. "Give me the sword so I can do what we said we would, we can make her tell us where the dagger is.""Your Majesty, I know Regina," Emma pleaded. "She WILL forgive you, she will tell you where she hid the dagger."Arthur swallowed hard, his eyes darting between three of them."No she won't. My king, you can trust me. I know her, she is nothing but an evil witch who destroys lives! The only reason they gave her the dagger in the first place was because they knew she was evil enough to use it against her!""You are a hero!" Emma pleaded with the fabled king. "In EVERY story I've read, EVERY legend I've heard about you, you are a hero! You lead your kingdom to glory! Give us the sword and you can be that same hero who I watched and admired and wanted to be when I was eight years old!"The knight saw his kings defenses waning, saw his grip loosen on the Princess, saw the making of desperate tears in his eyes."They will steal your sword and the glory. Your Majesty, if you give them the sword…" Percival waited until the king was looking at him. "You will be left with nothing but a broken kingdom and failed name."Arthur swallowed hard as tears leaked out, his breath trembling dangerously. The green in his eyes shone with desperation and regret."I'm sorry," Arthur told the group, all of them unsure who they were talking too. "But I can't let Camelot down."Without taking the knife from Snows neck he reached down and took the broken sword from its scabbard and handed it to Percival."NO!" David yelled as the knight held the sword aloft, a crazed desperate look in his eyes."Do it!" Arthur commanded, holding the knife tighter at Snows throat. "Quickly!"Percival took a deep breath, lowering the sword and running his hand over it."You have magic," Emma said when she saw the dark blue light come from his hand."Did you think I spent all that time learning about the evil witch who killed my family and not pick up a thing or two?" he asked as he ran his hand over the sword, the ancient metal glowing a brilliant blue before it disappeared.The knight grinned wildly as he held the sword aloft, the Charming family's eyes going wide when they saw what was inscribed on the sword."A tethering spell," Percival explained as he lowered the sword, running his fingers of the inky black letters that now spelled out 'Robin of Locksley'. "I now control the world's greatest thief."They watched as the knight lifted the sword grinning madly at it. "Robin of Locksley! I command you…"…"Regina," Robin called louder to the unmoving Queen as a slow steady drop of blood ran down her forehead where she had crashed against the stone. "Regina, M'lady, wake up! Regina! REGINA!"The Queen groaned softly as she slowly sat up, putting a hand to her bleeding head."Regina," Robin called out to her as relief washed through him, the name on his tongue feeling a thousand times more natural and beautiful than Emma's had been.He was desperate to have her back in his arms again, desperate to hear her voice call out his name again.The Queen looked up when he spoke and she froze, unsure if what she was seeing was real or not."Robin," she breathed as tears flooded her brown eyes and streamed down her cheeks, any willpower she had not to weep gone the moment she set eyes on him."Robin!" she cried again as she got to unsteady feet and sprinted across the cell to him."Regina!" he yelled, his own blue eyes glistening with tears.The Queen and her Outlaw pressed one another against the bars, crashing their lips together as he buried his hands in her hair while she grabbed his collar and pulled him as close to her as she could, the frigid iciness in her touch long gone."I'm sorry!" he cried as he pulled apart, barely able to get the words out before she pulled him back and attacking his lips again. "I'm so sorry, the curse-!""I know I know!" she sobbed before she kissed him again, both of them holding on as tight as they could to the other, as if afraid that they would let go and the curse would take hold again.After they had both calmed down some they still were unwilling to let the other go as every time Robin tried to apologize Regina would hear none of it."We were cursed," she told him. "What you said, what you did… none of it matters."Hook, standing against the opposite wall, scoffed, glaring daggers at the outlaw."He and Emma slept together," he reminded the Queen darkly. "You expect me to just forget that? To forgive that?""Yes," Regina snapped, tearing her eyes away from Robin for the first time since she had awaken from the curse. "But that doesn't matter now, what matters is getting out of this prison and helping the others.""How do you propose to do that your majesty?" Hook asked sharply. "We've looked around this entire cell, there's nothing he can use to pick the lock.""Your problem was that you looked..." Regina reached up and pulled out two bobby pins, her hair cascading forward. "Before I arrived."She handed the pins to Robin through the bars."Thank you, M'lady."Her heart fluttered frantically at the pet name she hadn't heard in what felt like a lifetime. It was her name and hers alone. Even the curse hadn't taken that from her."I've missed you," she told him with a shaky voice.He smiled at her. "I know."Robin put his arms through the bars, going to work on picking the lock of his cell, tediously working on the door."You were faster with Percivals door," Hook muttered as he watched the thief Work."Well there's a tad bit of difference between a simple bedroom door and a locked jail cell where I can't see what I'm doing," Robin told him before the sound of the lock clicked sounded.He held back a smug look at the pirate, remembering that he had dishonored Hook as well as Emma, as he opened the door from the inside. But he would worry about his honor later, right now he had to get Regina out of there.He hurried over to Regina's cell and began work on that one, taking half the time now that he could see what he was doing.When the locks clicked he threw open the door, grinning at the Queen who ran out and embraced him, inhaling the beautiful forest scent that was uniquely his and prevalent even down in this dark damp dungeon."You're so beautiful," he whispered as he stroked her jet black hair.Regina snuggled into his warm chest, wrapping her arms around him tighter. She never wanted to let him go. She WOULD never let him go again."You two can kiss and make up later," Hook told them, glancing around nervously. "We need to go.""He's right," Regina said, holding out the wrist that the leather cuff was on out to Robin. "They could be here any second."Robin reached out to take off the cuff but froze suddenly, his brows knitted together."What the devil?" he muttered, willing his hand to grab the cuff but it didn't move."Robin?" Regina asked, trying to keep her fear to a minimum. "Robin, what's wrong?"He shook his head, confusion in his eyes. "I-... I can't…"Then, all of a sudden, Robin grabbed her by the throat and slammed him against the stone wall, easily overpowering the 5'5 110 pound magicless woman."Robin!" Regina gasped as he squeezed. "Robin, stop!""I- I can't!" he cried, struggling to pull his hand away to no avail, his blue eyes wide with terror. "Regina, I can't stop!"She clawed at his hands as it became harder and harder to breathe."Mate, stop!" Hook yelled, using his one good hand to pull his hand away but Robin felt the hand not squeezing Regina's throat move of its own accord and pushed Hook away."I can't stop!" He yelled at the both of them as tears streamed down his face, his hand squeezing harder. "I can't-!""Please!" she begged, gasping for air, the fear and terror in his heart nothing compared to hers as her vision began to darken. "Robin, please! Stop!"
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"Please!" she begged, gasping for air, the fear and terror in his heart nothing compared to hers as her vision began to darken. "Robin, please! Stop!"Just as Regina's world started to turn black Robin released her, throwing himself against the opposite wall, staring wide eyed at his shaking hands.Regina almost fell to the damp stone floor, coughing and gasping for breath and would have collapsed if not for Hook grabbing hold of her arm."What the bloody hell was that?!" Hook demanded as he assisted Regina back to her feet. "What are you playing at, thief?!""I- I- I don't- I…"Robin's voice was trembling so hard he could barely get a word out. Regina looked over at him as she clutched at her neck, where he had choked her, tears gathering in her brown eyes."He's cursed," the queen gasped out, her usually strong voice cracking as she forced the words out through her raw and painful throat."How?" Hook demanded."I don't know!" she barked, not taking her eyes off of the inconsolable Robin. "It's the only thing that- that makes sense!"The outlaw swallowed hard. Not only had he besmirched his honor by sleeping with Emma, but now he had done the one thing that he swore on his own life he would never ever do, no matter what the circumstances were.Robin of Locksley did not lay hands on a woman. Now he had nearly killed the woman who meant the world to him.Regina took a step towards him and he backed up until he felt the cold dampness of the bars against his back. "Get away from me, Regina," he warned her. "I don't know what I'll do.""I have to see if you still have your heart," she told him. "If Percival somehow got ahold of it and is making you do these things…""What if I hurt you again?""You won't, I trust you."Robin knew the Queen well enough to know when she was lying, not that she was particularly good at hiding her emotions to anyone, but with Robin it saw deeper than others.He recognized her pain behind the sarcastic comments most mistook as anger, saw the sadness behind her smiles when she told Henry to have fun over at Emma's… But here right now in the bowels of the Camelot dungeons, when she told him she trusted the, former in his point of view, honorable thief, he didn't hear hesitation or fear.Regina was telling the truth. She did trust him not to hurt again, just as he had trusted her when it came to who he thought was a frozen Marian.Robin swallowed hard before he nodded, slipping his arms painfully through the bars so that if he was forced to attack her again she could have a few moments to get out of the way.Regina approached him, hating herself for what she was about to do. "This is going to hurt," she told Robin as she put her hand over his chest. "I'm sorry.""Don't be. If someone has to hold my heart in their hands I'm glad it's you."She couldn't even manage a weak smile at the sad attempt of a joke."On the count of three," she told him, giving him a chance to brace himself. "One. Two. Three!"Robin gasped in pain as her hand disappeared inside his chest, hardly able to breathe as he felt her hand delicately squeeze the organ and yank it out of his chest.Even as gentle as she had tried to make the process she wasn't lying, it had been painful, but all at once he knew exactly what she had tried to explain years ago but couldn't put it into words.He still loved her, he still loved his son, he still loved the child growing inside of Zelena, but it wasn't quite as strong as it had been moments before. Everything felt sluggish and he wasn't as enthusiastic about loving them as he could have been.Regina looked at the organ in her hand, narrowing her eyes in confusion. "Somethings wrong.""What? What is it, what's wrong?""She's right, this doesn't make sense," Hook added as he too stared at the heart in Reginas hand. "It's not supposed to look like that.""It looks like any other heart I've seen when I butchered an animal.""That's just it though, this isn't actually a physical heart, it's the hearts essence." Regina explained. "And it's supposed to be glowing," the Queen told him as she held up the pale pink heart which was without the bright red glow. "Remember what mine looked like when I gave it to you to guard? Yours is supposed to look like that only without all the darkness."Robin's eyes went wide as he glanced down at the heart in her hand to her eyes."What's wrong with it then? What's wrong with me?""I don't know," Regina told him, hating that she couldn't give a more definitive answer. "But I'm gonna find out, I promise."She pushed the strange heart back into his chest, wincing as he let out another painful gasp."But we need to get out of here, the curse is broken, the guards could be coming any second," she told the two men.Robin shook his head. "No, I can't go with you, you need to lock me up again," the outlaw told them. "Bind me here until you find a way to save me."Regina shook her head. "No, you're coming with us.""What if I attack you again?""You won't.""You don't know that. It's safer for you if I stay.""No!" she yelled, surprising both men not only with her fierceness but at the sudden appearance of tears. "I lost you too many times, Robin, and I am not losing you again!""You aren't losing me, Regina, you-..."He stopped mid-sentence, his hand suddenly shaking violently."Robin?""Run," he told her, clutching onto the bars as hard as he could. "Regina, run.""No, I won't leave you."Blood dripped down his palm as the rusted metal dig into his palms he was gripping it so tight."Get her out of here," he told Hook. "Get her- NO!"Robin let out a yell as he grabbed hold of her shoulders and twisted her so that she was facing the wall. He slammed her up against the bars and yanked her arms behind her back violently, both of them hating themselves for the painful cry that escaped her lips."Stop me!" he shouted at the pirate as he wrenched Regina around and began to make his way out of the dungeons.Hook pulled out a hidden dagger from the inside of his boot that Arthur's knights had missed when they searched him."NO!" Regina screamed as she saw the pirate run at the thief, the dagger in hand. With every ounce of strength she had, lifted both feet off the ground and kicked Hook square in the chest, sending him flying backwards and hitting his head against the stone wall ."Regina, what are you doing?!" Robin asked aghast as they made their way out of dungeons. "I can't stop this!""You don't die for me!" the brunette shouted at the thief as they headed up the stairs to the main part of the castle. "I don't care if you're throwing me off the top of the castle!"Regina struggled against his grasp as he led her through the hallways but she knew it was useless. She had no magic and no one had ever taught her self defense. She could fence with the best of them but she was fresh out of swords at the moment, not that she would ever use a sword against him anyway."We'll figure out a way to stop this," she assured him, holding back a whimper of pain as he tightened his grip. "But asking a pirate who's already mad at you to attack you with a knife isn't the answer."Neither spoke as Robin took her through a series of hallways until the arrived at a closed door. The outlaw pushed it open and the two of them walked inside, gasping at the scene that awaited them.Arthur held a dagger at Snow White's throat while David and Emma, who had on that damned leather cuff and looked as if she had gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson, watched on with their hands tied in front of them helpless as two more guards awaited instructions on either side of them."You," Robin snarled as they saw a bruised and bloodied Percival smirking at the new arrivals as he held the broken Excalibur aloft. "You'll pay for what you've done!"Robin struggled against whatever force was making him hold onto Regina, to charge head on at the knight and take him down, not just for making him lose his honor but for making him hurt Regina but he couldn't.He wasn't nearly strong enough.Percival smirked as he turned to face them. "The only one who's gonna pay for anything is the witch you're holding onto."Emma looked past the two of them, waiting for the arrival of her boyfriend but nothing had happened."Where's Hook?" the blonde asked. "Where is he, what happened to him?""He escaped his cell," Regina said, leaving out the part where she had knocked him out and he was currently lying on the floor in the dungeon."It doesn't matter, a one handed pirate can't do much damage," Percival told his suddenly nervous looking King."What did you do to him?" Regina demanded. "How are you controlling Robin?""Hmm? Oh with this."Percival turned the broken sword around so that Robin's name was facing the two of them."A soul tethering spell," he explained, smirking at the widened eyes of the Queen and her Outlaw. "I would think that would be one of your favorite spells. Controlling people. Making them do things they normally wouldn't do, making them hurt the people they love…""I prefer ripping out someone's heart to control them, much more personal," she spat, trying her best not to let her underlying fear come to the surface. "Which is the same thing I'm going to do to you."Percival just smiled at the brunette. "Thief," he spoke into the sword. "Do me a favor and hit that witch in the face as hard as you possibly can."Robin bared his teeth, trembling as he resisted the urge to follow the knights order.He would not strike her."Robin of Locksley!" Percival yelled, any hint of amusement gone. "Hit Regina Mills as hard as you can NOW!"Robin wrenched Regina around to face him, his hands moving of their own accord, an overwhelming force commanding him that came from his very core to obey the man holding the sword.Regina tried not to cry out as Robin hit her in the face and sent her to the ground, knowing that he was already hating himself for this but the pain had been too overwhelming to keep silent.As soon as his hand made contact with her skin he was already kneeling beside her, his arms wrapped around her and holding her, his touch feather light."I'm sorry," Robin breathed, biting back his tears. He didn't get to feel upset, not when he was the one who hurt her. "M'lady, I'm so sorry…""Get up," Percival spat, watching as Robin reluctantly let her go and stood back up, hating the man who held the broken sword more than he had ever hated anyone in his life. The hate he felt for the Prince who stole his Kings throne or the Sheriff of Nottingham had been a mere child's dislike compared to the seething hatred he felt for Percival."How are you resisting the sword?" Percival demanded. "You don't even have magic!""You're ordering him to hurt his soulmate, did you really think he was just gonna bend over and take it?" Emma asked from her position at the table."Shut up," Percival ordered them. "Everyone shut up. Locksley, pick her up."Seeing as how he hadn't given him any direction on how to pick Regina up off the floor, his touch was as gentle as it usually was with her as he brought her to his feet."We're gonna need privacy for this next part. Grab her and follow me, you two." He pointed at the guards. "Take these other traitors down to the dungeons.""Wait!" Arthur cried out before turning his attention to Regina. "Before anyone does anything, where have you hidden the dagger?"Even in the face of all that had happened Regina still could manage a rather evil smile to her lips. "Like I'd ever tell you that.""You WILL tell me where you've hidden the dagger!""You untether Robin's soul from Excalibur and I'll consider it."Percival swallowed hard as he looked from his king to the dark haired witch."She's lying, your majesty!" he yelled out. "She's not going to give you what you want!""I want the darkness cut out of Emma the same as you," she told the legendary ruler. "But I will not help you unless you let Robin go."The knight glared at Regina, hating her with every fiber of his being. Even now, in the face of death, she still somehow managed to gain the upper hand.Not today. Not again."I'll settle this," Percival barked. "You tell us where the dagger is hidden or I have your thief throw your son and his own curly haired brat out the window in the tallest tower in Camelot.""If you lay a hand on my son, I will end you!" Robin roared, the fury in his blue eyed stare almost frightening the knight."I won't be harming a hair on your sons head… you on the other hand…" Percival raised the broken sword. "Robin of Locksley!""Regina give him the dagger," Emma told the Queen desperately. "We'll figure out another way to save Robin.""I command you!""Regina tell him, now!""To take Roland of Locksley and Henry Mills-!""DON'T!""STOP!" Regina screamed, stopping the knight mid sentence. "Stop, I'll tell you! I will, just don't make him hurt the boys, please!"Percival and Arthur, who failed at not appearing horrified at the fact his previously most honorable knight had threatened children, waited in silence as Regina took a shaky breath."In the woods," she explained. "Hidden inside an old tree stump about two miles away. I can show you-.""No, you're not leaving this castle," Percival ordered, finally angering the king enough that he turned towards him."You do not decide how we get the dagger!" Arthur barked, far more authoritative than Percival had ever dared to be. "Do you forget I am your king?!""No, your majesty, I just-.""Silence!"Percival quickly shut his mouth but his glare screamed at the king who turned back towards Regina. "You will draw us a map. If your information is faulty, I assure you that I don't need someone to do my killing for me. Do you understand me, Witch?"Regina nodded, saying nothing more as Arthur slid her a piece of parchment and a quill. She quickly drew the crude map and slid it back over to him. Arthur took one look at the map before he gave her a curt nod and stormed out of the room without so much as a second glance."You two." Percival pointed at the guards. "Take these three down to the dungeon."He turned to Regina and Robin, holding Excalibur out in front of him."Grab her and follow me. If she tries to escape, kill her," he ordered the thief before he too stormed out of the room with Robin and a willing Regina.She would not make him do that to her. She would not saddle him with the guilt of killing his soulmate.They walked down the long corridors, colorful tapestries telling stories of Arthur and his knights heroic conquests decorating the stone walls.As they crossed into another hallway, a statue of Queen Guinevere caught her eye and she felt tears begin to stream down her face.When they first began dating, Regina told him about how he wasn't just a fairytale character but he was a folk hero whose stories were even older than hers and Snow Whites or, truly, most of the people living in Storybrooke.He didn't understand how he had become such a hero to the point he had actual revered statues of him over in this realms version of Nottingham and Sherwood Forest, or that his name had become synonymous with a man who gives away money. He even had a charity named after him..."I haven't done anything worthy of these honors," Robin had told her as she showed him photos of the statues, after insisting he never once wore a hat like that. "I just try to do the right thing…""The fact you don't believe you earned these things is exactly why you're worthy," she said with a smile.He was too good for her. He was far, far too good for the Queen. It was because of her that he had been cursed to be with Emma, it was because of her he was being forced to do these horrible things to the people he loved, it was because of her that his beautiful soul was now tethered to some sword using black magic.Robin deserved better than her. He deserved much better than her…He deserved someone like Emma Swan.The savior, the product of true love, someone whose heart was a bright brilliant beautiful red with no wisps of darkness clouding it.They would be happy together. No one would kill him because he had dared to loved her, no one would curse him because the blonde had burnt down villages…If they survived this, tears rolled down her face at the thought, Regina would let him go back to her.Percival led them back down into the dungeons but they weren't going into the first floor cells like they had been but deeper under the castle with less torches to light their way and less people to hear whatever he had planned for them.He wordlessly opened one of the heavy wooden doors and Robin and Regina followed, both of them stunned into immobility when they saw the room.It wasn't a prison cell he had taken them too, but instead a large room with chains hanging from the ceiling, various metal instruments on the walls, and, surprisingly, a large fireplace already lit with a roaring fireplace that made the room stifling hot and what looked like a cattail whip with jagged red hot metal balls attached to the tips resting on the fire.But what was most terrifying was the blackened charred bones in the corner of the room."I asked Arthur to put this room in special," Percival told the two of them. "It's only been used once on someone who had tried to destroy Camelot." He went over and nudged the black skull with his foot. "Morgan was quite the little sorcerer too but she died screaming just as you will… Put her in the chains," he demanded the thief."I'm going to save you," Robin whispered to the Queen as he led her to the middle of the room where the chains hung down low. "I will, M'lady, I swear it.""I know," Regina's trembled voice told him as he raised her arms and bound her in the chains.The Queen swallowed hard as Percival walked over to her, the light from the fireplace giving him a dangerous glow."Do you even remember my village?" the knight asked the Queen. "Did you learn any of the names of the people you burned? Did you even bother learning the name of the town you destroyed?"Regina forced herself to smirk at the man standing before her, slipping into the evil skin she had fought so hard to destroy.""I didn't concern myself with petty details."She may have been facing certain death and torture, but she would not grovel before this psychopath, she would not cry, she would not beg for mercy.Regina would be strong until the end.Percival glared at her for a moment before he turned to Robin. "Hit her!"The command had came so sudden that Robin didn't have a chance to restrain himself. His hand moved of his own record and he cringed when she cried out as he struck her."Take off her clothes."This time Robin resisted. His hands balled into fists and he shook his head. He would not humiliate his Queen like that."No.""Do as I say, Thief! Strip her!"He lurched forward but he stopped himself, his entire body shaking."No," he said again.Percival let out a yell of frustration as he held the sword even higher. "Do as I command and strip her NOW!"He almost stumbled as the sword compelled him forward, his hands gripping the front of her dress and ripping it down the front."I'm sorry!" Robin gasped as his shaking hands yanked off the red velvet. "Regina, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!""It's alright," she assured him, forcing her voice to be steady instead of trembling as he yanked at the silk ribbons that held the corset together.For a half second she saw Percival leering at her from across the room and she quickly closed her eyes. She has never been shy or modest, not once she became Queen anyway, and men had seen her without coverings often enough, but seeing his face look at her like she was something to eat after she vowed to herself that Robin would be the final man to see her as the Gods made her… that disgusted her more than words could say."Good," the knight said as he looked her up and down as he circled her, which proved rather difficult as Robin stood in front of the Queen, doing his best to block her from Percivals view. "Very good…""You stay away from her," Robin warned him."Oh relax, I'm not going to touch her like that. But still, I can admire a fine piece of art," he said as he licked his lips before walking towards the massive fireplace. "No, my revenge involves far more than some simple fondling. Plus the little harlot would probably enjoy that."Robin watched as he put on a thick pair of what looked like metal gloves and pulled the cattail whip from the fireplace, the jagged metal ends glowing red hot and the leather smoking before he replaced it with an iron brand.Robin swallowed hard as Percival made his way back over to him and handed him the leather whip, a devilishly evil grin appearing on his face."Instead it just involves pure unadulterated pain…"
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Robin's gaze traveled down to the whip in his hands. To a man whose hands hadn't been scarred over and blistered and made tough by years and years of living in the forest, the leather would have burned him.Not Robin though. He was the perfect man to do what Percival wanted."Whip her."Robin closed his eyes, his body shook as he resisted the call of the sword. He could fight it. He had too, he would not torture his queen."Please," he begged. "Please, don't hurt her.""Oh I won't be the one hurting her. You will be. Now…" The knight pointed the broken sword in Robins direction. "Whip her."He lurched forward as he stood behind her, raising the whip as some force from deep inside him compelled him too. Robin grabbed his own wrist to stay himself; desperate to stop before he did something he could never forgive himself for.Regina forced herself not to flinch as she heard the motion behind her. To stay perfectly still, a glint of amusement in her eyes as she stared Percival in the eyes and a smirk on her lips.She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her be terrified of the pain her own soulmate was about to inflict on her."Robin of Locksley!" Percival shouted, his anger and annoyance growing with every moment the thief fought the sword. "I command you to whip her!"It happened before he could fight himself. The sharp whistling of the leather filled the stone room followed by the loud !CRACK! as the still smoking leather hit her flesh, the red hot jagged pieces of metal ripping through her porcelain colored skin.Regina bit her lip to contain the scream as she threw her head back, the pain of the actual lash nothing compared to the burning the hot metal inflicted on her. She would not scream. She would not let him hear what he craved.More importantly she would not let Robin know how much he had hurt her."I'm sorry!" Robin gasped as a slow steady flow of red streamed down her back. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to hold her, to protect her, to make sure she never felt this pain again. "Regina, I'm so sorry!""Again!" Percival barked.Robin nearly tripped as his arm flew back and then slammed forward.Once more Regina made no sound."Again! Harder!"Twenty times. Twenty times Robin was forced to whip her with the modified whip and twenty times Regina had stayed silent.Regina swallowed hard as she gasped for breath while her back was inflamed with both the burn marks and lashes that had cut deeply into her flesh.The Queen looked up from the floor, containing the shake in her voice as she forced a smirk to her lips again, her voice as deep and dark as Robin as ever heard it."Is that the best you can do?"Despite everything, the thief couldn't help but be impressed at her strength and resilience. She could survive this. She had to stay strong because if he caused her to break...Percival glared at the Queen before he stormed over to the fireplace and removed the iron brand and slammed it the handle into Robin's hand.The end of the brand was glowing a hellish red and Robin swallowed when he saw what the shape of the rested metal has been twisted into."She was so proud of being the Evil Queen, she should let everyone know just how proud she is. This way, she can never pretend to be anyone else ever again."Before Robin could respond, Regina spoke, her voice sending unpleasant shudders down Robin's back.He wasn't used to her voice sounding like this. Her voice wasn't snarky or even angry but was pure dark, pure evil. Like she was trying to inject as much malice into every word as possible."You convinced yourself this is some clever form of revenge, getting him to hurt me," she spat at the knight. "But the reality is you're just a coward who's afraid to get his hands dirty. At least when I was Queen, I never once had someone do my torture for me."Percival glared at the Queen who even with blood dripping down her back and stripped nude she still managed to look regal. She grinned a rather insane looking grin at him."I remember everything about that day. The screams of those pathetic reeking peasants, the way their disgusting little huts caught fire sooo easy…""Shut up," Percival told her. "Stop talking!""Your mommy screamed the loudest," Regina told him. "You should have heard her BEGGING for her life."Robin swallowed hard as he looked between his Queen and the knight. Why was she taunting him? Why was she trying to antagonize him?"I said shut up!""I stood outside her house and threw a fireball at your measly pathetic home. I watched as she banged on the windows, trying SO hard to get out before she burned to death.""Shut up!""And you wanna know what I did as she stood there, begging me to let her out of that inferno?"Regina grinned wickedly at her captor. "I smiled at her."There was a loud yell as Percival grabbed the brand from Robin's hands, shoving the thief so hard he nearly fell to the ground.Just as Percival was about to slam the brand onto her but he froze, stopping himself just inches away from her skin.."No," the knight growled. "No, you don't get to control how this happens."Robin looked from the, shockingly disappointed, Queen to Percival, as the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.She was trying to antagonize him. Not just for the sake of being evil but to save the outlaw from having to hurt her.Regina knew, either way, she was going to be tortured. Maybe even killed if the Charmings could figure out how to save her, but she wouldn't let her soulmate be the one to hurt her.She would not let him feel guilty…Percival circled the Queen, refusing to take his eyes from her."I've been going about this all wrong. All this?" He motioned to the various metal instruments around the room. "This is hurting him more than it's hurting you.""So untether his soul and let him go," Regina told him. "Do your own dirty work."He stood in from of the brunette queen, staring into her eyes. "I will," he told her, reaching up and pushing a strand of hair from her face. He leaned forward until he was an inch from her face. "But not on you…""Don't move," he told Robin before he sheathed the sword and went over to the fireplace, getting out a dagger with an edge so fine you could shave with it and put it into the flames."I thought my revenge would be getting him to hurt you. That it would destroy you knowing your soulmate was hurting you. But you don't care about that do you?" He pointed with his free hand at the confused thief. "You DO care about him though. Your 'honorable' thief."Once the dagger was red hot he pulled it from the fireplace and looked towards Robin."You choose. You or her."Regina's eyes went wide as she looked from Robin to the knight, her heart pounding hard for the first time since they came down here."What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice losing the evil edge she had forced to it.Percival nodded towards Robin's right hand, holding up the knife so Robin could see the red hot metal. "How many fingers to be able to shoot a bow? Forefinger, middle and ring, right?""Stop!" Regina shouted, struggling in her binds. "I killed your mother, I made her body nothing but ash, I burned your home to the ground! Torture me, kill me!""The famous Robin Hood wouldn't even be able to tie his shoelaces much less fire a bow ever again." Percival smirked at the glaring archer. "You would be nothing but a joke.""LEAVE HIM ALONE!" the raven haired queen screamed, tears gathering in her eyes for the first time since this began."You choose, Locksley. Her…" Percival held up the brand and the knife. "Or you."Robin swallowed hard as he turned to look at his Queen, the tears streaming down her face. He fixed a rather sad smile to his lips."It's alright, M'lady.""No!" Regina shouted as Robin walked over to Percival and held out his surprisingly sturdy hand. "Robin, no!"A sob left her as Percival grabbed hold of his wrist and slammed him against the wall. The knight looked over at the desperate Queen. "You keep your eyes open or his eyes go next.""STOP!" Regina begged desperately. "Please, please, let him go! Just- just torture me, burn me, murder me, I don't care!""That is exactly the problem, Regina…" Percival places the red hot blade next to the three fingers and the archer bit back a cry of pain at the burning sensation. "You don't care."A sickening crunch, Robin's ungodly scream, and the unforgettable sound of the three digits hitting the stone floor…"ROBIN!"…"Killian!"Emma tried to race to the passed out pirate but to no avail, the guard having too strong a hold on her. "Killian!"The second Guard who had hold of David and Snow shoved them into one of the cells before he grabbed hold of Hook and dragged him into another cell."Let him go!" Emma shouted as she was tossed into the cell opposite him and next to her parents. "Killian!""Hook!" David yelled out. "Hook, wake up!""Hook, please!" Snow added, desperate not just for their friends sake but for their daughters.Hook moaned as he put his good hand to his head, opening his eyes."What happened?" he groaned. "Where am I?""Killian!" Emma cried out and finally gaining his attention."Emma!"He got to his feet and raced to the bars, stretching it his hand as far as he could reach with Emma doing the same, their fingertips just grazing but it was enough for the two lovers after spending three days apart."I'm so sorry," she told him. "I didn't know what I was doing, Killian, I swear to God, I never-.""I know, Love, I know," he told her, far more forgiving of the blonde than he was of the thief. "It's not your fault."She smiled at him and all of the bitterness and hatred and anger he has been feeling the last few days like a snowflake in the summer sun.Emma was all he needed. He didn't care if she was the Dark One or just the blonde sheriff who stole his heart, she would always be his.She wasn't his fated true love like Snow and Charming were to one another, pixie dust and a tattoo didn't tell them they were each other's soulmates, they had fallen in love the old fashioned way. They had fallen in love the way Emma would have wanted. No magic, no bullshit, no destiny or outside wonderous force playing the cards, just two people who brought out the best in one another.Hook wouldn't have wanted it any other way."Regina said you escaped," Snow said, unfortunately breaking up the reunion. "How did you end out passed out on the floor?""Because Regina left out the part where she kicked me so hard I slammed my head against the bloody wall and knocked myself out.""She what?!""To be fair I did go after the thief with a knife.""You what?!""He asked me too! He's under some bloody curse or something and when he attacked her he wanted me to stop him.""And you thought the best way to do that was to go after the best and well known archer in history, whose girlfriend is the Evil Queen by the way, with a knife?""Well I may have been a little angry over the fact he slept with the woman I love."Emma rolled her eyes. "He was cursed too.""I know. Doesn't make me any less forgiving.""You hold a grudge better than Regina.""Speaking of, where is she? And Robin?""We don't know," David admitted. "Percival had Robin take her somewhere. He tethered his soul to Excalibur, he's controlling everything Robin's doing.""He's fighting it though," Snow added with that tell tale hope she was so well known for. "There's a chance he can resist hurting her.""Well I'm not about to leave that to chance," Emma said. "We gotta get out of there and save her.""How? We have no weapons, I haven't my hook, you have that cuff on…""If one of you take it off I can magic us all out of here, Regina and Robin included.""No!" both Charmings and Hook yelled."You've used enough dark magic. That cuff is probably the best thing for you," David said."We have to save her though, we don't know what he's doing to her.""Nothing less than she deserves."The four prisoners turned and saw Arthur, holding the dagger with Emma's name emblazoned on it by his side, walk into the room full of cells."Or so Percival says…"The tension rose tremendously as the king turned to Emma, a look she didn't expect to see on his face.Not anger that they had lied to him, not furious that they had beaten one of his knights, just appeared deep in thought and almost ashamed.The blonde shook her head. "Whatever she did, she is not that person anymore. She doesn't deserve to have her soulmate torture her. If you give us the dagger we can cut the darkness out, we can make Excalibur whole again.""Upstairs," Arthur said as if Emma hadn't of spoken. "You said I was a hero. That I led Camelot into glory, that I was a legend… what did you mean by that?""In my realm, you are known as the most noblest hero to ever walk this earth. You were the start of one of the greatest empires my world has seen. You're idolized and adored by millions…""Including you…"Emma nodded. "When I was a little girl, I read the Arthurian legends, I watched all of the movies… I looked up to you, I wanted to be a hero like you, I wanted to be as good a person as you were until one of my foster parents told me you weren't real, that you were just a myth."Arthur swallowed hard, running his hand over the handle which he had fought and struggled for so long. "Merlin gave me a prophecy. I was seven years old, I never wanted to be king, I never asked for it, I never wanted to spend my life searching for the sword and the dagger and then having to do another quest and another, one right after the other after the other. But he and fate choose me.""I know how that feels," she admitted, avoiding her mother and father's guilty faces. "To be born into something you never even thought was real, to be something you never asked to be, to have these insane expectations thrust on you when you never even wanted them."Arthur bit back the tears in his eyes. All he wanted to do, all he ever wanted to do, was be a good king for his people, be a good man for his Queen, be a good ruler for Camelot…Despite how hard he tried, he had failed at all three."Merlin choose me to rule Camelot," he said, a small quiver in his normally infallible voice. "I was worthy enough to pull the blasted sword from the stone… why couldn't that have been enough? It should have been enough.""It's not fair, I know. Trust me I know, Arthur, but you can still be a hero. You can still do the right thing if you give us the dagger and help us save Regina and Robin."Arthur opened his mouth, shaking his head."I- I don't-."A blood curdling scream from Robin Hood ripped through the hollow dungeon, echoing off the walls."ROBIN!" a terrified desperate shriek that belonged to Regina followed."What the bloody hell was that?!" Hook demanded, every one of the prisoners suddenly on high alert."It's Robin Hood!" Snow cried out.Arthur shook his head, his own heart pounding painfully hard against his chest. "No… no, he promised no one else would be hurt, just Regina!""Regina wouldn't scream like that if she was the one getting hurt!" Emma barked impatiently. Innocent people were getting hurt, it was time for Arthur to step up to the plate. "She'd only care if Robin was the one in trouble!""Arthur, please," David begged. "You can hold onto the dagger IF you free us so we can help them.""What's it gonna be, your majesty?" Hook demanded an undecided terrified Arthur. "Are you going to save them or not?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Robin fell to the ground, holding his bloodied disfigured hand, screaming as a pain worse than he had ever felt in his life seemed to envelop his entire being."ROBIN!" Regina shrieked, pulling so hard at her restraints that she felt a trickle of blood run down her wrists where the chains had cut into her skin. "ROBIN!"Percival stood over the outlaw a wild crazed look in his eyes as the two lovers screams mixed together.This was perfect. This was far better than hearing her scream in pain, far better than anything he could have ever dreamed of doing to her."Robin!" she sobbed, her voice barely understandable thanks to the sobs that ripped past her lips. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry"Robins eyes clenched tight, tears streaming down his face as he gasped for breath, his body trembling from as the blood gushed from the wound. He clutched his hand to his chest, forcing himself to see a flash of logic in a sea of blinding pain.He would not let her blame herself for this."Re- Regina," he gasped, hardly able to get the words out his body was shaking so hard. "It's- it's o- it's okay…""No it's not," Percival told him with a smirk before he quite deliberately reached his foot out and stepped on the the disfigured hand with all of his weight."LEAVE HIM ALONE!"Reginas scream was barely audible to her much less the knight as Robin howled in pain, struggling to yank the hand away. Percival snickered, twisting his foot as if he were putting out a cigarette."PLEASE STOP!" Robin begged. "PLEASE!"The knight was forced to yell over top of them to make his voice be heard."Of course I will. That depends on you though."After another moment of grinding he took his foot away."You… or her."Robin's teeth chattered together as a sudden chill came over him. He couldn't seem to catch his breath and a dizziness overwhelmed him to the point of making him nauseous."What's it gonna be, Locksley?" Percival asked again."Percival, stop!" Regina cried out before Robin could answer, terrified that he would make the wrong choice again. "You made your point! Just punish me, hurt me!"The knight ignored the Queen's pleas."Choose, Thief. You or your Queen."This time she didn't beg the crazed man standing over her soulmate, she spoke directly to the honorable hero lying on the floor."Robin," she pleaded. "Robin, please, just- just tell him to hurt me. Choose me, I don't- I don't want you hurt. Okay pick me. You- you said you'd never let one of your men take the punishment for something you did. This is the same thing." She let his own words sink in. "Don't punish yourself for my mistakes."It took almost all of his strength to even lift his head up to look at her. Ocean blue eyes found soft brown ones and even now, in each of their lowest moments, he marveled at how someone as amazing and deserving of love as her could be concerned over a common criminal like him."I'm sorry." His voice shook along with the rest of his body. "M'lady, I'm sorry..Regina, despite their hopeless situation, smiled at the outlaw."It's okay, Robin."She closed her eyes, waiting for him to tell Percival to choose her, for him to tell the crazed man to torture her so he could be spared.For him to make the right choice.Robin took a deep breath, forcing his voice to be as steady as he could make it."I choose me.""NO!"Percival grinned as he went over to the wall and grabbed a rather thin scalpel like instrument before he held it into the flames."That's what I was hoping you'd say.""STOP! Please! Please stop! You won! Okay, you won, just stop hurting him! Kill me, please! Please kill me, just leave him alone!""You don't get it do you?" he barked. "This wasn't about winning! This was about you paying for what you did to me!"He pulled the knife from the flames and stormed over to her. "This is about me getting me revenge!""Stay away from her," Robin tried to yell, but it came out barely understandable. He was struggling to keep his eyes open."Believe me," the knight growled while still glaring at Regina. "She's not the one who's in danger."He held up the smoking red hot knife to her face."IF he lives every time you look at him you're gonna be reminded of what you did. You're going to be reminded of what you did to my family. You're going to be reminded of the pain they felt."Regina swallowed hard, making her voice as calm and steady as she could."Listen to me.""No."He went back over to the thief and kneeled in front of him."Ya know the funny thing about using a blade that's been in fire?" The knight showed Robin the glowing red hot blade. "It instantly cauterizes the blood. About ten times the pain but it'll keep you alive. Isn't that funny? A knife that keeps you alive if you're stabbed."Percival pressed the knife up against his cheek and Robin groaned from the pain, biting back a scream as he pressed the knife against his cheek and slowly dragged the blade down his face, smoke rising from the wound."STOP!"He paid no attention to the Queen as he ripped open Robin's shirt, the thief giving no resistance as he pressed the scalpel against his chest and began to carve.The thief clenched his jaw, using every ounce of strength he had not to scream as she burning metal sliced through his skin."See now I was going to use that brand," Percival explained as calm as you would like as he continued to cut, nodding towards the discarded instrument. "But I figured having the word 'Evil' seared on you wouldn't be all that upsetting to you. But the word 'dishonorable', written right there for all the realms to see on the most honorable man in all the land? To remind you of what you and Emma did here?" He pressed in the knife deeper. "That's gonna sting."Robin closed his eyes against the onset of tears, unable to look down at the bleeding mark.Dishonorable. The one thing he had fought his entire life against being, the one thing he strived not to be. His honor, his code was what made him who he was, what made him Robin Hood, what made both Marian and Regina fall in love with him, what made his men and his son look up to him.If his honor wasn't gone when he slept with Emma, it was certainly gone now, and everyone would know it.With the final letter carved Percival leaned back to admire his work."I do have quite the penmanship," the knight said with a grin before he turned towards Regina who, to his surprise, wasn't in hysterics or sobbing, nor was she doing anything other than staring at him with such an anger and hatred that, even though she was tied up, it frightened the man."When I get ahold of you." Regina's voice shook not with tears but with a fury she had never felt in her life, not even at Snow White. "I am going to make your death last for a hundred years… I will make you go mad a thousand times over. You're going to pray to whatever Gods you believe in that you merely burned alive along with your parents. You will BEG me for death and the happiest moment of my life will be when I tell you 'no'."You are a knight, he forced himself to remember, not that it did him any good. She's tied up, she can't hurt you.He smirked at her, to show the witch he wasn't afraid of her threats but the look in his eyes betrayed how terrified he truly was."Still choosing yourself, thief?" Percival asked without turning away from Regina."Ye- yes," Robin panted as his blood pooled beneath him.The look on Regina's face when Robin said he was still choosing himself made any threats worth it."Good. Then let's continue."Percival walked over to the torch that lit the room and took it off the wall."No instruments this time, just good old fashioned fire. The same kind my mother felt when you burned her alive. Now." Percival slowly walked back over to the outlaw. "What part of you do you think your Queen will miss most? Your face?"The knight held the flame next to Robins face and he flinched away as the heat from the fire almost overwhelmed him for a moment before he pulled the torch back."Nah. Besides I already messed that up, she'll never want to look at you again."Robin wasn't a vain man. He knew he was handsome but he never truly cared about his appearance. He also knew how beautiful and voluptuous his Queen was and how she could have any man she wanted and how lucky she had chosen him amongst the thousands of other possibilities.As he felt the blood trickle down his cheek from the gash Percival had made, his words ringing in his ear that Regina would never want to look at him again? He knew it was over. She would never want to be with him again.It was almost too much to bare."Your other hand?" Percival interrupted the inner monologue as he held the flame by his undamaged left hand. Robin cried out in pain as the flames lightly kissed his skin but the pain was gone as soon as it came."No, I think not. After all when I cut that off in a bit and leave you a total invalid it'll just be a waste of torch fire, wouldn't you agree?"Robin closed his eyes. He would not let Percival see his fear, he would not let Regina see him panicking at that prospect."I think, with your Queen being as big a harlot as she is, that she would miss THAT part of you the most, if you understand my meaning."Regina fought as hard as she could against her bounds, screaming so hard her voice cracked as Percival kneeled down beside him and reached for his belt.!SLAM!"Get away from him!"Both prisoners and the knight turned towards the door which had just been slammed open and saw the appearance of the The Charming family and Hook along with the fabled King Arthur.Emma, Hook and David all carried swords and Snow had Robin's bow and quiver that Arthur had confiscated when they locked the thief in the dungeon."Percival what have you done?" Arthur breathed, unable to turn away from the blood soaked and quickly fading Robin Hood."You traitor!" Percival roared as he quickly stood, torch in hand. "You promised you would help me with my revenge! If I got you the dagger-!""You swore to me the only one hurt would be Regina.""Plans change. She didn't care about him hurting her, she only cared about him- you take another step towards her and I burn this castle and everyone inside to the ground!" he snapped when he spotted David trying to make his way towards a bound Regina, holding the torch dangerously close to the wooden rafters."Percival, listen to me," Arthur begged. "It's not right, what happened to you or your family. I would give anything in my power to go back and change what happened to you but I can't. No one can, and torturing an innocent man won't bring them back.""It's not about bringing them back! It's about making her pay!" he yelled as he aimed the torch at Regina. "It's about making her feel as I do every day!""Shit happens, get over it," Emma barked, wishing more than anything her family had allowed her to take this stupid cuff off before they came in here."You're outnumbered, Percival," David added. "Put down the torch and come with us."The knight shook his head, his torch slowly going up towards the dry wooden rafters. "I'm not going anywhere… and neither are you.""Percival, don't!"In a large whoosh of flame and heat, the ceiling was ablaze.Percival ran past the group of them, slamming into Arthur, who slid down the wall, redness seeping out of the hole his knight had stabbed in his stomach, as Percival got out the door and slammed it shut to keep the fire contained to just the one room.David and Snow ran towards the still bound Queen while Hook grabbed hold of Emma and sprinted towards the locked door, slamming against it and hacking at it with their swords with all of their might."GRAB HIM, SOMEONE GRAB HIM!" Regina screamed as David and Snow ya need at the iron chains when she realized that Robin, who was directly underneath the heaviest of the flames, had gone unconscious and no longer moving. The fire roared a deafening roar and the thick black smoke filled the room, stinging their eyes and burning their lungs.They knew they had to get out of there now..."The chains!" Snow cried, pulling at them so hard her hands bled. "They're not coming loose!""The bracelet!""What?!""The bracelet, take the bracelet off!" Regina yelled at her stepdaughter.Snow grabbed hold of the leather cuff on Regina's wrist and yanked, throwing the blasted piece of leather aside. In less than a blink of an eye she was out of her chains and dressed in the gown she was wearing before Percival had Robin rip it off her and in another moment the flames were nothing more than wispy puffs of smoke that disappeared into the night."Robin!" she cried as she ran over to him, cradling him in her arms. "Robin!"A desperate sob ripped through her as he laid there motionless. She stroked his face, his scruff soaked with blood. "Robin, please come back to me!"His blue eyes fluttered open and found her brown ones staring down at him."Regina," he breathed.A teary smile shone on her face as she gazed down at the most beautiful man she had ever seen. She sniffed and nodded, tears making their way down her face."You're gonna be okay," she told him, stroking his face. "You're gonna be alright…"The Queen leaned down and kissed him softly. Both of them were so lost in the moment that neither one of them noticed that while Regina had rid the room of the fire and smoke, she had been too worried about Robin to bother to fix the rickety rafters.Snow was the first one to hear the cracking and splintering and was the first to see the ones directly above the Thief and his Queen start to fall."Regina, look out!" the Princess screamed. Regina looked up just in time to see the heavy wooden beams come crashing down.She could have used magic to stop the rafters from falling. She should have poofed the group away, she even could have magicked it so that the beams disappeared and instead landed on Percival.But that would have required calm thoughts and the only thing the brunette was able to think of only one thing as she saw the beams come closer.
Save him.
Regina covered Robin's body with hers just as the rafters fell on top of them, burying the Outlaw and Queen in a pile of burnt wood.The last thing the Queen was aware of before darkness took over was the smell of burnt forest…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
I own no one but my own people"REGINA!" Snow screamed as the ceiling crashed down on top of the two lovers in a storm of wood, nails and dust.The Charmings and Hook ran over to the pile and began to throw the debris off of the two of then while Emma sprinted over to the slumped over king."You're okay," Emma panted as she held her hand against the stab wound Percival had inflicted on Arthur, the bright red blood running over her fingers. "You're okay…"The sounds of boards and beams crashing against the stone floor as the three heroes cleared the massive pile from on top of them. The three of them grabbed hold of a particularly heavy board and moved it out of the way, finally freeing Regina."I got her!" David yelled out before he grabbed hold of the Queen and pulled er unconscious self from the pile of rubble as easily as if she weighed as much as a feather, a particularly nasty gash on the side of her head dripping blood onto the floor.While he carried her over to the side of the room, Hook and Snow yanked the still bloody and bruised Robin up from the floor, dragging his unmoving body across the stone flood until he was leaning up against the wall."Is she okay?" Snow cried, looking from the outlaw to the Queen, trying her damndest to not let her panic overtake her as she ripped off a strip from his short and wrapped it right around his hand in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding."I don't know," David answered, trying his best to keep calm in the face of the near death of his mother in law."Regina!" the prince called out to her, shaking her shoulder. "Wake up… come on, Regina!""Mate!" Hook yelled at the unconscious thief, being far less gentle with him than David was being with Regina as he repeatedly slapped the side of his face that Percival hadn't cut. "Come on, Mate, wake up!"Emma meanwhile was still putting pressure on the kings stomach.Arthur's breathing has turned ragged and shallow and he was struggling to keep his eyes open."Stay with me, just stay with me, Arthur," she told him. "Eyes on me…""I'm- I'm sorry," Arthur panted, his whispers barely heard over the sounds of David, Hook and Snow trying to rouse their friends. "I should have- I should have been a better man. A better king.""You will be," she promised, her voice breaking as the blood ran warm over her hands. "you just have to hold on."Arthur reached into his belt with a trembling hand and grabbed hold of The wavy Dagger with her name inscribed on it. He was so weak he could barely lift it."Take it," he told the blonde. "Reunite it with Excalibur, free Merlin, unite Camelot.Arthur swallowed hard before he coughed, a stream of blood falling from his lips and trickling down his chin. "Use it to- to cut the darkness out of you."The blonde took the dagger, the ancient metal feeling far heavier in her hands than anything she had ever lifted before."I'm- I'm sorry I couldn't be the hero you once looked up too."Emma gave him a soft smile as tears rolled down her face. The last thing the legendary king would ever see in this world."You were in the end, Your Majesty. That's all that matters..."With that final reassurance, he closed his eyes one last time as his breath stilled.King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot was no more."Regina, you gotta wake up!"David's almost frantic cry dragged Emma's attention away from the king.Regina. Robin. They still needed her help.Hook's insistent slapping had finally roused Robin and the thief groaned softly as his ocean blue eyes flickered opened."Regina," Robin breathed, his head pounding so hard even the dim lights from the fire place and torches were making him nauseous. The whole room was hazy and swam before him. "Regina…"The room in front of him swirled dangerously, the sounds of Snow and Hook telling him what he should be doing, staying still he believed, could barely make it through the buzzing that seemed to surround him. He was stifling hot and freezing cold all at once.But none of that mattered. He had to fight through the pain that radiated over every inch of him, had to ignore the overwhelming embarrassment and shame that came from his friends were seeing him in this weak state, had to ignore the signals that his brain was still sending to his arm that told him his hand, his hand that have sent a million arrows into targets that no other living man could have possibly hit, was still whole.The only thing that mattered was Regina.Once his vision had cleared some he focused on the blur several feet away which the longer he stared the clearer it became, the easier he could bear the voices surrounding him, until he saw clearly saw David kneeling by an unconscious Regina, struggling to wake her."Regina!" Robin cried as he stood up, the sudden movement nearly sending him back into his own unresponsive state. He ran over to her with Snow, Hook and Emma not far behind."Robin, you're hurt you need rest!"Snow might as well have given the wall the same order as the thief pushed David out of the way and grabbed hold of her as best he could."Regina!" he yelled, a fear he had never known before overwhelming him as he shook her desperately. "Regina, wake up!"When she made no movement a terror clutched at his heart.No! He would not lose her! Not now, not ever!He looked around at the group desperately, praying that one of them would do something, would tell him what he needed to do to save her but no one offered anything but terrified stares. Robin turned his attention back to his Queen, a painful lump forming in his throat that was almost impossible to swallow."M'lady." He spoke barely above a whisper as he stroked her usually soft black hair now matted with blood. "M'lady, come back to me…"Emma swallowed hard as wetness pricked at her hazel eyes."Robin..."She could barely breathe. How would she ever tell Henry what had happened?Robins face fell as he turned his attention towards the blonde as a realization hit him like a well placed arrow."You," he breathed to not just Emma, but the 'most powerful dark one that had ever lived' according to Merlin. "You can save her. Your magic can save her!""No," Hook told the thief as he got up from the floor and made his way over to her. "No, we can't let her use dark magic!""Robin, this was the whole point of her pretending to be the savior," Snow chimed in."The whole point was NOT for Regina to die! And I'm not asking you, I'm asking-... I'm asking her."Emma swallowed hard, unable to turn from the brilliant desperate blue of his eyes."I don't know what'll happen if I use my powers again…"Robin glared at the blonde before he reached out and grabbed the enchanted dagger from her hands, pointing it unsteadily at the blonde. His whole instincts were wrong, everything felt backwards. He felt like a child who was holding his first wooden sword.How was he ever going to learn to sword fight left-handed? How was he going to learn to do ANYTHING left handed?"Easy!" Hook barked at Robin, getting in front of Emma and pointing his sword at the thief. Robin shifted the dagger from Emma to Hook. "I've been fighting one handed a lot longer than you, Mate!"Robin could have cared less about the jibe against him nor the sword at his throat. He would face a thousand pirates if that's what it took to save his Queen."I can use that dagger to make you do this but I'm not! I'm... asking you…" He felt tears stream down his face but he no longer cared about appearing strong in front of them. He no longer cared about his honor or his code or his chivalry, he would force Emma to do this if necessary. The only thing that he cared about was saving the woman who had saved him."I've lost love before." His thickly accented voice was far more desperate than any of them had ever heard it. "And I won'tagain…"Emma swallowed hard as she stared at the frantic thief."Please," he begged. "Save her…""Alright. I'll try."The blonde glanced at the pirate for a moment, silently telling him that she would be alright, that this wouldn't push her up and over the ledge.She could do this. She had to do this.Robin grabbed hold of her wrist and yanked off the cuff that had kept her safe from herself. Emma gasped as she felt her magic flow freely through her again. She kneeled down next to Regina, lifting her hand over her chest and waving it over her body, a bright yellow light bursting forth from her hand as she gave the Queen back her life.Regina's brown eyes flew open as she arched her back, gasping for breath."Regina!"A joy Robin never felt possible filled the thief as he ran towards the woman he loved and knelt beside her as Emma got up and hurried back over to Hooks side."Robin…" she breathed as she looked up at him. He smiled down at her before he leaned down and kissed her, burying his hands in her hair as she grabbed his face, being careful not to touch the still bleeding gash in his cheek."I love you." He leaned his forehead against hers, running his fingers through the ends of her silk like hair."I love you too."She gingerly sat up, not relinquishing her ironclad grip form his arms. She never wanted to let go of him ever again. She took in his appearance; the jagged cut on his face, the cuts on his chest which had bled so bad that no one could read the cruelty that Percival has carved into his flesh, the burns on his left hand and his right hand…How he was even still standing was beyond her understanding."Come here," she told him, carefully taking hold of his right arm. She waved her hand over his mutilated one, the purple light of her magic glowing on her hands but nothing had happened. She tried again and again, on his chest, his face, his hand again but it all yielded the same failed results"What's going on, why didn't it work?" David asked.Regina went over to one of the instruments on the wall, running her hand over it."Everything in this room was enchanted to torture me…" she realized. "My magic can't heal him."Regina turned toward the blonde, the same idea as Robin had just moments ago."Emma-.""No."The protest hadn't come from the obvious choices, Hook or the Charmings but it had instead came from the blue eyed man who was slowly standing up from the floor, dagger in hand."Don't make her use magic again," Robin told her."Robin, your hand-.""I know… and I'd rather go through the rest of my life a cripple then have her turn dark because of something I choose."He walked over and handed the stunned albeit grateful Hook the dagger. Now that his soulmate was no longer facing certain death the memories of what he had shared with the blonde was coming back at him full force. Robin couldn't muster the courage to look the woman he had dishonored in the eyes as he handed her beloved the dagger.He has slept with a woman he didn't love. He touched and kissed a woman he didn't love, who was in love with another man, his friend, at that. He has betrayed Regina AGAIN not to mention that Robin had never once thought about Emma, or really any blonde woman, like that before and he was pretty sure she didn't think of him in that way either. She was pretty, if you liked that sort of dime a dozen blonde look in a woman, but he never considered her particularly attractive. Especially when he compared her to Regina and judging by her previous love affairs with a man who stole and broke the law only for himself and the pirate she loved now, Robin was pretty sure that he wasn't exactly her type either, at least morally.They hadn't forced one another but neither had he and Zelena yet it disgusted him all the same. He couldn't stand the thought of putting Emma through the same shame he had felt.For that alone he deserved the marks on his chest and the punishment he had endured at Percivals hand."We need to find Percival," Snow announced to the group as Robin handed the cuff to Hook, too embarrassed to even look at her much less put the cuff on her. "He has Excalibur. We find him, we can reforge the dagger with it and we can end this once and for all.""We aren't doing anything with Excalibur until Robins name is off that sword," Regina warned. "Or have you all forgotten his soul is still tethered to it?""How can we get it off though? We don't even know what spell he used," said Snow."I know exactly what spell he used as well as the counter spell. I… may have tried to tether your soul to an object once or twice," Regina admitted when they questioned how exactly she knew. Seeing the look of disbelief she threw her hands up in the air. "It didn't work, obviously! Otherwise you would have thrown yourself off a cliff. You need Excalibur for that specific spell, the sword is the only thing powerful enough to someone's soul."Regina turned towards her thief and gave him a soft smile. "Especially a soul that's particularly strong…"All Robin could do was barely lift the corner of his mouth before he turned his attention back to the floor, missing the hurt on his girlfriends face.He blames me, the Queen thought, misreading the situation entirely. He blames me for everything…He couldn't look at her not because he blamed her. That was about as far away from the truth as she could get. He couldn't look in her in the eyes because why would she even want him to look at her after what he's done? Not just for what he did with Emma but for stripping her, hurting her, whipping her? It made more than enough sense that Regina would never want him again.Regina, meanwhile, was thinking only of all the pain he had been through because of her. He had been forced to hurt his soulmate, he had been beaten and mutilated and almost killed because of her.He would never fire a bow again because of her.Of course he wouldn't want to be with her ever again. Not to mention in the back of her mind there was always that small little voice in the back of her head that had been screaming at her since they awoke from the curse that maybe, just maybe, there had been a part of him that wanted to be with Emma.After all, all her other lovers had. Graham had fallen for the blonde the second she showed up, Hook, although the Queen would never admit it, whom Regina had found rather attractive and had openly flirted with him when they first met, preferred Emma over her. Even Daniels first girlfriend before he came to work for her family had that apparently oh so coveted blonde locks and pale looks."Fine, no one touches the sword but Regina," Snow agreed. "But we need to get going, he could be halfway out of Camelot by now.""Wait," Robin told the group. "You need to chain me up first."Regina shook her head. "No, I'm not leaving you alone, you're coming with us.""I can't… I can't fight. I'm liability, Regina.""Robin-.""I don't know if I have the strength to fight against the sword again," he admitted. "If Percival orders me to hurt you again, or he goes through on his threat to have me kill Henry and Roland…"Regina swallowed hard before she spoke."Okay."He walked back underneath the chains that had held Regina and lifted his arms up as Regina took the shackles and claimed them as gingerly as she could around his wrists, almost flinicing when they clicked in place."I'll come back for you," she promised."I know."She took his face in her hands and kissed him as hard as she could, tears falling down her face as she moved her lips against his. Finally they broke apart and with one last look and Regina magically unlocking the door, the small group left the room.Emma went with Regina at the front of the pack, eyeing the steely eyed Queen."Why did they look like a goodbye kiss?" she whispered softly to the brunette."I'm allowed to kiss my soulmate however I want."She didn't mean to snap at Emma. She truly hadn't but between the searing pain on her back which she had so far ignored and the emotions of everything else that had happened she wasn't in the mood for any Hope speeches that the charming little family was known for."I didn't say you weren't, I just-.""Not now, Emma, we're about to go hunt down a magical knight who hates me and who has a legendary sword that Robins soul is tethered too at his disposal , I'd really rather not spend time gossiping about boys."Emma paused her steps briefly before she got back up in step with her."I just saved your life.""Which I am incredibly thankful for. Doesn't change the fact that… that I ruined Robin's life and he probably never wants to see me again.""You didn't ruin his life.""No?" Regina rounded on her. "He will never fire an arrow again, he will never be able to sword fight again, he won't even be able to 'tie his own shoes'," he spat back the prediction that Percival told him. "So please tell me how I didn't ruin his life.""He can still love," she assured him. "He still has his honor, his code, he still has what makes him Robin Hood. He'll adapt. Same as Hook did.""There's a difference between losing your left hand when all you're known for being a pirate and losing your right when you're known as the world's greatest archer.""Regina-.""Don't try to reassure me right now, Emma. I just wanna get my hands on Percival.""Where are we going anyway?" asked David as he walked behind the two women. "Do you know where he's going?""No but we know where he won't be going. His chambers.""Why do we need to go there?""Because you can't cast a locator spell without something someone owned," Emma answered for the Queen.The group reached the bedroom of the night and Regina slammed open the door with a wave of her hand and stormed in. Like she had predicted it was empty but also a mess of disarray from the quick exit he had done. Regina grabbed the first thing she saw, a crumpled up shirt, and waved her hand over it, a bright red light coming from it."That's not what a locator spell usually looks like… and why isn't it floating?" asked Hook."It's not floating because it's not a locator spell," Regina said as she seemed to grab hold of the light and tossed it out the open window before it faded away into the night. "It's a barrier spell. The same one my mother used on me so I couldn't leave without the king."Regina ignored the flash of guilt on Snows face as she picked up a fallen book of his and waved her hand over it, this time the object glowed with that telltale light and stayed in midair as Regina dropped her hands.Without so much as a word to the others she followed the book, her heels clicking on the stone floor as she made her way out of the castle with a frightening look in her eyes.Snow glanced at David for a moment."Regina…" the princess said carefully. "What do you plan on doing to Percival when you find him?""That's none of your concern.""You… you can't kill him.""No I assure you I can. Quite easily in fact."They followed her out of the castle and then onto one of the riding trails that led away from Camelot."Regina-.""Don't worry, your daughter won't have to use any of her magic. No one touches him but me as a matter of fact."A ways off they heard a sudden crack and groaning of tree branches followed by a loud familiar shout.A cruel evil grin overtook her features as she sprinted on up ahead with the group following her.Sure enough Percival was hanging in midair with thick branches wrapped around his arms legs and torso. He was struggling so hard to free himself he didn't hear the group approaching him."Oh Percival," Regina called out to him in a sickly sweet voice, making the knight freeze his movements. "Where were you running off too?""You witch!" he snarled as he fought against the magical branches in vain. "You horrible evil witch!"Regina just laughed at the restrained man, sending a shudder down her companions spines.Whatever had happened down in the dungeons had flipped the switch from the hero they had grown to love back to the Evil Queen they all feared."Why that's almost polite considering what I'm about to do to you."With a flick of her wrist the branches twisted him rather painfully around so he was now facing her and lowered him down to eye level."You stay away from me!" he growled as she slowly walked up to him, relishing the growing fear in his eyes."Funny… wasn't that the same thing Robin told you when you approached me?"She stopped half an inch from him, grinning wickedly at the man. "Why yes I believe it was…""Regina, the sword," Emma said, hoping to remind her of the real reason they had captured him.Regina reached out and grabbed the hilt of the legendary sword and pulled it from its scabbard. Seeing the name, Robins name, inscribed on the metal, fueled her rage to something even she didn't think was possible."They say a cut from Excalibur can never be healed," she said as she turned the broken sword over in her hands. "Even with magic, you just slowly bleed out." She held the sword up to his throat. "I think that'll be just a bit too merciful for you though."She handed the sword back to Emma before she reached in his chest and yanked out his black streaked heart.Percival gasped as she squeezed the glowing organ, his breath constricting."If you had just hurt me," she told him."I might have made this painless. Well…" He cried out as he squeezed harder, her nails digging into his heart. "Mostly painless.""Regina, stop," Snow told her but neither Emma nor Hook were quick to prevent her revenge.They too had been cursed."But you hurt Robin," she continued. "You almost killed him, you disfigured him, you burned him, you cut him, you threatened his son and mine, you made him... do terrible things to the person he loves,She stopped squeezing the heart, only giving him a chance for him to catch his breath long enough so that he could see what she was doing.In a small proof of purple smoke a long metal pin appeared in her other hand."This needle is laced with the venom of the Agrabah scorpion," she informed him. "Nasty little bug and funny thing is there's no known cure. Not even magic can stop it.""Stop," Snow pleaded again. "Regina, this isn't you, not anymore.""With a single bite, its victim feel like they're burning from the inside out," Regina told him, ignoring her stepdaughter. "Your insides melt and liquify and your lungs fill with smoke as your blood boils..." She smiled that same smile she had given him years ago. "Don't worry though. The brain is last to go, so you get to be fully awake and conscious for the whole thing."Percival was trembling. He let out a sob as she held the needle above his heart."I'm sorry!" He was now openly weeping and Regina looked at him with disgust. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, I didn't- he wasn't supposed to be hurt!""You're pathetic," she sneered. "You're a pathetic sniveling coward. You aren't fit to lick the underside of Robin Hoods boots.""I know! I know, I- I'm so sorry! Please don't kill me!"She cocked her head as if he had said something amusing."Kill you? No, this won't kill you. See, I made a little adjustment to the potion; I've added a healing spell. That way, when you JUST get on the brink of death, it heals you. Slowly, of course, but it heals you nonetheless. That way, you get to relive the pain over and over and over…""Whoa, Regina this is… kinda intense," Emma said as she looked between the weeping knight and the Queen.Emma just thought she was going to squeeze his heart for a bit, maybe smack him around then lock him in the dungeons. She had no idea the Queen was capable of that level of sadist. ."You have the sword, feel free to head back to the castle if you don't wanna watch," Regina snarled without taking her eyes from the knight."You cannot torture a man like this!" Snow cried, desperate."He tortured Robin! This is exactly what he deserves!""Robin wouldn't want you to do this," Emma tried again."Robin wouldn't have wanted to lose his fingers! Robin wouldn't have wanted the word 'dishonorable' carved into his chest!" she yelled as she raised her hand up."Henry would never forgive you!" Emma cried as her hand slammed down.Regina's hand stayed at the tip of the poisoned needle was less than a hairs length away from touching his heart.Her son. Henry. The person she had changed for, the person who had seen the best of her even before Robin and would see the best of her after Robin left her, who knew she could be the hero he needed.He saw the world in black and white, in good and evil. You were either a hero or a villain. Right now, Regina was a hero in his eyes. He wouldn't care about why she had tortured Percival, he would just care that she had.She turned around and glared at the knight, the needle still a half inch from his beating heart."You don't deserve mercy," she spat. "But I deserve to have my son look at me like a hero."In a puff of magic the needle disappeared. In another wave of her hand he was released from his binds and fell at her feet. David and Hook immediately picked him up and held him in front of Regina.The brunette tossed his heart between her hands for a little bit."I think I'll hold onto this for a little while," she told him with a smirk."Regina…""Just until we get him back in the castle," she told the suspicious group. "Make sure he doesn't try anything. I promise I won't use the poison on him, the needles gone."With her assurance she wouldn't do anything to his heart they all headed back to Camelot.—-"Hello, Percival."Percival's eyes flew open and saw Regina's face an inch away from him, her eyes even more menacing in the torch light.With a wave of her hand he was slammed up against the wall of the small damp cell they had placed him in and held there as if he were chained.He opened his mouth to scream but with another wave of her hand his voice had gone silent."You're down low enough that no one will hear you scream anyway but why take that chance?"Regina reached into chest once more, yanking out his heart."I promised my friends I wouldn't use the poison," she told him as she waved her hand over the heart, the hearts color from its bright red to an eerie dark gray. "What I DIDN'T say was that I wouldn't use other magic to make you suffer."She slammed his heart back in his chest and watched his face with a grin. After a moment his eyes opened as wide as possible while his lip trembled as tears began streaming down his face.Percival opened his mouth to scream but no sound left him but the veins bulging in his throat was evidence of the strain."See, because of you, I had to relive my first loves death and I almost watched my soulmates death," she told him carelessly. "So now YOU have to relive seeing your mother die. For the rest of your miserable life, you get to watch her burn. Over and over and over again, while you sleep, while you're awake, rather your eyes are open or shut… an endless loop of misery."Any amusement on Regina's face was long gone as she leaned in, her voice nothing but a deep animalistic growl. "Know something, Percival...This isn't for torturing Robin Hood. You threatened my son. And no one, no one… gets away with that…"He fell to the floor when she waved his hand again, soundless screams and noiseless sobs leaving him."Have fun," Regina called to him with a smirk as she strode out, slamming the door behind her.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Emma couldn't breathe. Her breath was shaking as she held the dagger in her hand and the ember in her other. Perhaps it was her imagination but she swore she felt it vibrating in her hand. Like it knew it's other half was near and it was crying out to be rejoined.It was never supposed to exist, this magical dagger. Excalibur has been forged with the purpose to make it so Merlin could live a long natural life with his true love. It was never supposed to control Nimue, it was supposed to bring her a lifetime of happiness. It was never supposed to be used for the centuries of dark deeds it caused.As crazy as it sounded, Emma SWORE the dagger knew it's purpose wasn't this to control, it was to bring happiness. And, as soon as Regina showed up, it would be, by freeing Merlin and cutting away the darkness.Speaking of..."Where's Regina?" Emma asked out loud.Hook, her parents and Henry were here in the courtyard where Merlin's tree stood with her but there was no sign of the dark haired Queen. Or Robin for that matter."Robin's still getting patched up by Doc," Snow answered. "Percival did… quite the number on him. Regina's probably with him.""Is he gonna be okay?" asked Henry. The young boy had grown rather close to the thief and when he heard what happened, more importantly when he heard that it had all happened because he choose to spare his mother pain..."I've been in tougher scrapes than this."The group turned and saw Regina walking beside a heavily bandaged Robin. There was a thick stitches on his face, there would be a huge scar there when it healed, his right hand was heavily bandaged and in a moss green sling, and they were sure under his stiff study leather tunic his chest was covered in gauze."How you feeling?" David asked as the Queen and her thief walked over to the group, the broken sword clasped in Regina's hand.She hadn't let it out of her sight since the moment they got back to Camelot. She would let NO ONE ever control Robin Hood again, nor did she trust any of the Charmings to be patient enough with the sword to wait until she had untethered his soul from it.Robin gave the prince a sad smile. His right hand twitched in its sling."I'll survive.""Doc wants him back in Storybrooke as soon as we can go," Regina informed them. "Camelot doesn't have any antibiotics and all Granny has in her first aid kit was some neosporin.""As soon as we cut the darkness out of her we'll figure out a way back home," Snow promised. "But first we need to reforge the sword and the dagger."Regina nodded as she took the sword in one hand and faced Robin."You ready?" she asked him and he answered with a determined nod.She took a deep breath as she waved her hand over the sword. The broken sword glowed with a brilliant bright blue light, the same color as his eyes Regina noticed, and she carefully, delicately, pushed the light towards her thief. Robin closed his eyes as he was engulfed by the light of her magic, inhaling deeply as he felt something he hadn't even realized was empty deep inside of him became full again before the night disappeared inside him."Did it work?" Hook asked, already having grown impatient with having to delay having to cut the darkness out of her because Regina wanted to be by Robins side while Doc fixed the thief.He had been without his Emma for far too long and he could barely stand to wait anymore.Regina glanced down at the sword, her heart pounding the whole time as she turned it over. She let out a sigh of relief as she only saw the steel gray and the intricate black designs. Robin's name was nowhere to be found."I believe it did," she told them. "I just have to be sure."She put a hand on his chest over his heart again, her eyes searching his for permission.He nodded and groaned as she plunged her hand into his chest and gasped as she yanked his heart out, this time it was glowing vividly bright and stunningly red like it was supposed to.Regina swallowed hard as she looked over her lovers heart. It was so pure. Not a single wisp of black, literally a night and day difference to her own heart that was heavily clouded with darkness.Why the hell did he ever fall for her?Regina cleared her throat and gave Robin a reassuring smile and a small nod to let him know that everything was truly back to normal when she shoved the precious organ back inside his chest."You can reforge it now," Regina said as she finally handed the sword over to Hook. "He's no longer tethered to it."Emma nodded, taking a deep breath as she handed the dagger to Hook as well. She put one hand over the ember and a great fire lit in her hands, hotter than anything any of them had felt. Regina shielded her eyes from the light as the embers fire grew, suspended in mid air as the blondes hands struggled to close around it and a moment later a brilliant orange light radiated from the ember.She took both the dagger and the sword from Hook and held both ends into the light and moments later the sword, the whole complete sword they called Excalibur, was in the savior's hand.No one spoke. No one moved. No one even breathed as Emma looked over the fabled weapon, her name still etched in black."Regina?" Emma asked in barely above a whisper."Yeah?"She swallowed hard. "Do… do you still have that potion? The lost love tear potion?"Regina nodded slowly, unable to take her eyes off the ancient sword. "Yeah. But remember it didn't work?""It didn't work with you because your heartbreak wasn't strong enough.""What?!" Regina gasped, dejected."No no, I- I know it was real but… there's Robin now, you moved on, you healed. We just didn't know that at the time."Guilt ate away at the thief as Regina looked at him. He had been the one to fix her, he had been the one to heal her from that pain.Now he had given her all new heartache."So then where do you propose we get a tear of a lost first love?" Hook asked.Emma turned and looked at her parents, hating herself for what she was about to make her mother go through."From a loophole."Snow had crushed David's heart. Then Zelena had made his sacrifice worthless. For four whole minutes her life had lost any meaning. All hope was gone, all joy, all life, all her light… if it hadn't been for the fact that Emma would be waiting for her for her, Snow would have jumped out of that tower.The pixie cut haired princess still had nightmares about that day. Still woke up sobbing, still clung to David like if she let go he wouldn't be here with her.Snow hadn't moved on. Because there had been no one else BUT her first love.Emma made Snow watch the moment in a dream catcher and she broke down in sobs as she grabbed hold of David while Regina caught one of the tears in a tissue.It worked. Thick ribbons of black and white magic surrounded Emma, whipped frantically around her to the point none of them could see her. Winds bellowed loudly as the magic seemed to go inside her for a moment before she threw her hands out and the black and white ribbons surrounded the tree, enveloping it completely and when it finally disappeared there was a man standing where the tree had been.He was attractive. Young with warm brown skin and was dressed in a handsome black and gold cape with an a similar colored outfit underneath that looked like it had been woven from water. He glanced around the courtyard for a moment before his eyes fell on the savior and he smiled like he was greeting an old friend."I've been waiting for you… Emma."The blonde's mouth fell open at the famed sorcerers words. Even after everything else, she still sometimes couldn't believe that these fabled characters were actually real."I… I…""Yes?" asked Merlin as calm as he could please.Emma swallowed hard, finally landing on the one thing that sounded the most sane."I… thought you'd be older."The wizard chuckled kindly. "I get that a lot. Let's just say being an immortal tree does wonders for the skin."Emma took another deep breath. "There's something you need to know. About-.""Arthur," he finished the thought for her. He cast his eyes downward for a moment before he lifted his head again. "I know. The boy who would be king made some very poor choices. He disappointed me in his later years, but in the end he went out a hero and choose light over darkness. I couldn't have asked for anything more from him."Emma gave him a soft smile, the start of a painful lump forming in her throat before she forced herself to swallow it."Can you do what your apprentice said?" asked Hook. "Can you free Emma from the darkness?"Merlin nodded. "Yes. But with a caveat. A darkness like this takes a hold of a person, deep inside where nobody else can see. Emma… Is your heart truly ready to be free of the darkness? It is as much up to you as it is to me."Emma glanced around at her family and friends. Her parents, her son, the man she loved… she knew what would happen if she embraced the darkness. She would lose them all.She could not let that happen. She CANNOT let that happen.It was as if Merlin could read her mind, and Emma had a strong feeling he could because he gave her a soft smile and a polite nod."Okay. I can do it."Emma swallowed hard as she handed the sword over to Arthur."Robin, I'm going to need your help."Robin glanced around at the other equally confused faces."Me? Why me?""Darkness this strong needs lightness to cut it out as equally powerful," he explained. "I have enough power and goodness in me to cut it out of her but to truly destroy the darkness once and for all, It's going to require more light than even I have. You have the purest heart here.""What about her father, her mother?""David and Snow share one heart. The pinprick of darkness that was in Snows heart now resides in David's as well," said Merlin. "And Henry's heart was touched with black magic when it resided in Peter Pans body. Your heart IS pure and unbesmirched, Robin. I promise you."David and Snow looked at one another for a moment before they turned back to the wizard. They didn't even want to ask how he knew about their shared heart or the touch of darkness that came from Snow killing Cora or how he knew about their adventures in Neverland."But I'm a thief, I-... These last few days alone I hurt the woman I love, I violated Emma and stole her virtue, I slept with another man's love."The blonde raised her brow at his particular phrasing. Kenny Logan has 'stolen her virtue' when she was fifteen under the high school bleachers and plenty of other men had a turn with her 'virtue' as well.Also he may not have been her type, the repeated mention of his code had gotten got old real quick, and she never would have slept with him while she was dating Hook but he didn't force her.It was just one night of regular sex."You are the most honorable man in all the realms, Robin of Locksley," Merlin told him. "There's more honor in you than nearly every man that came before you and almost every man who will come after. Being forced to do terrible things does not change who you are in the inside."Robin swallowed hard as he looked at Regina who gave him an encouraging smile and nod before he turned back towards Merlin."Okay."Robin walked over to Merlin and stood by his side, his apparently unblemished heart pounding.Merlin held the wavy sword aloft and looked over at a nervous Robin."Whenever you're ready, I need you to grab hold."The thief took a deep breath and, hesitating only for a moment before he grabbed hold of the hilt with his left hand.The moment Robin touched it, a stunning white light as pure and as bright as they had ever seen shone from Excalibur. It was the most beautiful thing any of them had ever seen. It grew brighter and brighter but no one felt the need to avert their eyes. The light was pure and good and warm and joy and happiness and wrapped them all in a blanket of hope and peace.Thick black smoke poured out of every inch of Emma, burning away into nothingness the moment it was exposed to the light from the sword.The darkness seemed to actually scream as every single wisp of smoke burnt away and disappeared but it was powerless against the light.The sword exploded into a beacon of pure white taking over the entire realm it seemed like for a moment before it died as quickly as it had come.Emma blinked once, twice, three times. She felt lighter. So much lighter and happier and more joyful and more at peace then she had ever felt.They finally did it. The darkness was gone. She was no longer the dark one. No one would ever be the dark one again."Emma!"The blonde turned and let out a beaming smile as Snow let out a cry of joy while she and David wrapped their arms around their daughter, happy tears running down their faces. Henry ran over and hugged her as tight as he could while Hook embraced her, tears of joy running down his face as they kissed over and over and over.He had his Emma back.Regina ran over to a stunned Robin and threw her arms around him, being mindful of his injuries."You did it," she breathed. "You did it, Robin, you saved her…"Robin embraced her with his good hand. Holding back his tears.His heart was still pure, at least according to the sword. He had actually saved Emma because of it.Hook managed to tear his eyes away from the blonde to look at Robin."Thank you, Mate," he said in surprisingly trembling voice. "Thank you…"Robin gave him a polite nod before he turned back to Regina who still had her arms wrapped around him."I told you," said Merlin with an all knowing smirk that was still somehow friendly. "What happened these last few days doesn't matter. What's truly inside your heart does."The Charmings and Hook wanted to wait at least a month in Camelot for Emma to be able to rest before they went home. Regina and Robin agreed until Doc took another lot at Robin's hand and declared that an infection had already set in. When Regina heard the thief scream from the next room as the dwarf poured boiling wine on his mutilated appendage and cut away the corruption with the kitchen shears that Granny used to cut her chicken in halves, they moved up the timeline to a week.Robin didn't talk much to Regina or Emma or even Hook after they cut away her darkness. Regina thought she still blamed her for that happened to him, and maybe, just maybe, there was a part of him that was even a little disappointed that he wasn't with Emma, Robin thought there was no way Regina wanted him to talk to her after what he put her through.He spent his nights at the edge of the forest sleeping under the stars against a tall oak tree, ignoring Regina and his son, he couldn't figure out a way to tell his boy that he would never fire a bow again nor look at him after he had dishonored the woman he loved, not coming in until the next morning.Robin felt he had no right to share her bed.Regina thought that he didn't want to share her bed.After the third day Emma caught Regina staring out her terrace at the tiny blot at the edge of the forest, she went over to her."Have you tried talking to him?"Regina shook her head. "He doesn't wanna talk to me. He hates me.""He doesn't hate you, Regina. He loves you.""I ruined his life.""God you guys are perfect together, both of you have the same damn martyr complex."The Queen glared at Emma who just shrugged. "Am I wrong?""Yes you are. Robin doesn't have a 'martyr complex', he has honor and he feels horrible for what he did. With you. Although I'm not sure he feels guilty about that as he does that he woke up."Emma raised her brow at her words. "What the hell are you talking about?"Regina shrugged as of the answer was obvious."If he had been with you, he wouldn't have been cursed, he wouldn't have been tortured, he wouldn't have almost died. Plus you're… you know, blonde and perfect."The savior couldn't help the touch of smugness in her words."Are you actually jealous of me?"Another shrug."The moment you came to town Graham choose you. There was always a certain chemistry between me and Hook but he choose you.""Ew.""Hell Neal AND Hook both choose you. Robin's the only one that… since Daniel. And your grandfather but I REALLY wish he hadn't been.""Regina, you're the most gorgeous person I ever met.""I know I am.""Way to be humble.""But my heart? That's ugly. Robin deserves better than someone with a heart that's as black as mine. He deserves… someone like you. And I've just been thinking that maybe he's disappointed when he woke up because the cursed memories weren't real. And I'm willing to step out of the way for you two."Emma blinked. Once. Twice."Well… thanks for the blessing but I'm good. Also if he is disappointed that he's not with me, which I HIGHLY doubt, that sucks for him because I already have someone I love. Plus you and Marian both have brown hair, both have brown eyes… I really don't think blondes are his type. Even if he was interested in me, he's not really my type.""What the hell are you talking about, Robin's perfect, he's everyone's type.""Not really. Like there's honorable and then there's choosing to live with the woman who murdered your wife because she tricked you into getting her pregnant."Regina's eyes fell to the blondes flat stomach."Emma, I swear to God-!""No no no I have the insert there's no chance of that, I promise."The Queen was flooded with relief and Emma gave her a soft smile."If it makes you feel any better I think he almost said your name during it."Regina couldn't help the almost proud smile."He did?"Emma nodded."Yeah. I didn't realize it until after the curse broke but yeah, he was about to say your name when he was with me. He's… VERY intense during sex by the way.""That's what makes it so good," Regina protested. Emma decided not to argue that particular point."But, anyway, trust me I have NO interest in Robin Hood and I really don't think he has any interest in me. Plus he choose to be tortured for you. I don't think he'd hate you for something he choose to do."Regina turned her attention to the blip of the small fire inside the forest where she knew Robin was sitting beside."You want me to talk to him?" the blonde asked. "I don't think he's gonna feel better until I assure him he's not some mustache twirling villain who stole a virginius young girls innocence."Hating that she was right, that right now he wouldn't listen to anyone but Emma, Regina gave her the okay and minutes later the blonde was trekking her way across the Camelot grounds."You got an extra space by that fire?" she asked the thief who immediately jumped up, blood rushing to his face as he held something in his hand."Emma, I- it- wha- what are you doing here?" he asked."Relax, I just wanted to see how you were doing."She sat down beside the fire and motioned for him to join her. He sat so far away from the flames he couldn't even feel the heat from the fire.Emma rolled her eyes as she poked at the flames with a fallen branch."I don't bite you know.""I know.""Then come over here and actually get warm."He didn't move."I'm pretty sure you're gonna be my son's step dad one day and it's gonna be really hard to co-parent if we can't even talk to each other."Robin sighed softly before he came over and sat on the log he had previously been sitting on."Before you say anything, I understand why you're here.""Good.""You're angry with me, as you should be.""No."Robin narrowed his eyes in confusion at her. "Emma, I disrespected you, I violated you, I besmirched your honor, I disrespected Killian, I dishonored Regina…"She rolled her eyes to the heavens."You didn't disrespect or violate anyone.""I slept with you.""We were cursed.""It doesn't matter."Another roll of her eyes."Okay, I don't know how it works where you're from, but where I'M from, what we had was basically a drunken one night stand. It was meaningless sex, you didn't besmirch anything. I mean you're a good looking guy, I'm sure there's been a few women-.""Four.""I'm sorry?""There's been four women I've ever been with. And I don't even know if the third one counts since I thought she was the first."Emma's jaw dropped."Wait so… you're seriously telling me you've only been with Marian, Regina, someone you thought was Marian and…""And now you."The blonde bit her lip as her own guilt started to eat at her.Fuck.She hadn't expected this twist."Um…shit. Robin, I'm sorry, I didn't-.""Why are you apologizing?" he cut her off. "You didn't do anything.""If I didn't do anything to you then you didn't do anything to me. You're in love with Regina and I slept with you. Hell I was the one started the 've slept with way less people than me, if anything I stole your virtue.""It's different.""No it's not. It's actually kinda sexist if you think there's a difference.""There's a fair bit of difference between chivalry and sexism.""Not from where I'm standing. Look..." Emma turned to make sure she was looking into his eyes. "You don't have to feel guilty about what went down between us. I promise. It NEVER would have happened if we weren't cursed, trust me. I love Hook, you love Regina, neither of us would intentionally hurt them like that. You didn't steal anyone's virtue, you didn't dishonor anyone, you didn't disrespect anyone… you're a victim in this situation, Robin."Robin glanced down and Emma's face fell. "You spending the night out here and ignoring Regina… this isn't just about the guilt over you and me having sex is it?""I hurt her." His voice shook slightly. "I put my hands around her throat, I tore her clothes off, I whipped her… How could she ever forgive me?""Because she knows you didn't mean it. Plus you got your fingers cut off, you have 'dishonorable' carved into your chest and you were about five seconds away from getting your junk burnt off just to prevent her from being hurt. You were willing to DIE for her, Robin."Robin swallowed hard but didn't say anything so Emma continued."She thinks you blame her for what happened to you."THAT got his attention.He jerked his head up and whipped his head around to face her."No! No, I- She- I never- she KNOWS I-!""Regina doesn't know jack shit because you've been hiding out here in the woods and both of you think that the other blames the other for what happened. She also thinks that you're somehow disappointed that you're not with me."Robin raised his brow at that comment."No offense meant, Emma, you're not exactly my type. Physically or otherwise.""No offense taken, and trust me, same. But she has it in her head that you wanna be with someone less evil.""That's ridiculous, I want to be with her. ONLY her.""I know that and you know that but she doesn't."Emma watched as Robin stood up and made his way to the castle without another word. Emma waved her hand over the fire to extinguish it, god she forgot how much nicer it felt doing light magic than dark, and followed him, having to jog to keep up with his fast brisk walk.The thief didn't say a word until they reached Regina's chambers where she was getting ready to bed. She turned to look as he stormed into her bedroom without a word."Robin?" the Queen said, confused at his sudden appearance, "what are you-?"But she didn't time to complete her question because at that precise moment he kissed her, hard. He wrapped his good hand around her waist and pulled her close to him, ignoring the pain in his chest from the cuts.Regina stood frozen for a moment before she melted into his kiss, draping her arms around his neck as he moved his lips expertly against his.He kissed her good and long and hard and didn't stop until they both needed to breathe."What was-?""This wasn't your fault," he told her, his hand going to its rightful place on her waist. "None of it, Regina, I choose all of this, I choose everything that happened to me."Regina swallowed hard at his words."Robin, if you hadn't been with me you wouldn't have been cursed. You wouldn't have been hurt, you would… you would still be able to fire a bow.""I don't care," he told her with as much honesty as he could muster. "I would choose to go through that all over again a hundred times more than choose never being with you."Tears filled her eyes and as hard as she tried to blink them away they slowly streamed down her face. Robin reached up and gently wiped away them away and Regina closed her eyes at the tender touch, turning her head so she could place a soft kiss on his palm."That is if you'll still have me, M'lady..."Regina chuckled softly, putting her hands on the side of his face, gently rubbing her thumbs over his scratchy scruff."Always."They all gathered at Granny's the next morning with Merlin. He was going to send them back to Storybrooke.Robin told an incredibly G Rated version of what had happened to him to Roland. All the little curly hair boy knew that his Papa couldn't use his right hand again and that he could never use his bow again. When Roland asked Robin if that meant that he couldn't still teach him how to shoot an arrow, he smiled at the four year old and told him of course he would still teach him.Roland told him that was all that mattered and gave his Papa a hug.The little boy would have no idea how much that would mean to the thief."Are you all ready?" the sorcerer asked the group.They all nodded and Merlin raised his arms for a moment before he clicked his tongue."Oh right. Almost forgot."He turned to Robin and quickly waved his hand.There was a soft almost inaudible whoosh, Robin blinked, and he was cured.He felt the cuts gone from his chest, the deep gash in his face disappeared and, he didn't believe it until he lifted his right hand up to his eyes and saw that all five fingers were there again and in perfect working order, his hand was healed."You had to accept you weren't responsible for what happened before I could fix you," Merlin explained with a smile but his words went unheard as Regina cried out in joy and wrapped her arms around her thief and he ran his right hand through her soft hair before he hugged her as tight as he could manage."Papa, you're okay!" Roland said with a beaming grin as he hugged his father around the leg.Robin laughed as picked up his son and kissed him on the cheek before he wrapped his arm around his Queen.He was never going to let them go again…"You want a new hand while I'm in the giving mood?" Merlin asked Hook who just grinned and shook his head. He had been down that road once before and he wasn't eager to go down it again. He had lived longer with his Hook than without it, plus, Emma didn't grow up hearing tales of Killian Jones, she had grown up with stories of the great Captain Hook."You sure?" asked Emma. "I could start calling you Captain Hand.""I'm fine, Love. Besides," he lowered his voice so that her parents couldn't hear him. "I think you and I know there's a few attachments you rather enjoy that you would miss too much.""What was that?" asked David."Nothing," replied Emma with a slight blush and a smirk towards her Pirate.Merlin chuckled before he nodded. "Alright then. Here we go.""Wait!" Emma said before he could raise his hands again. "Now that Arthur is gone, who's going to lead Camelot?""A true honorable brave Knight of the Round Table who you two might be familiar with," he said with a nod towards Snow and David.The Charming's eyes went wide."Lancelot is alive?!" Snow asked, hardly daring to believe it."He is, Your Majesty. He's sorry he wasn't able to see you off but running a new Kingdom is quite a monumental task but he hopes to come visit you soon in Storybrooke once he gets thing settled here."David and Snow beamed at one another before Merlin glanced around the group once again."Any other loose threads?" When no one could think of anything else he turned to Regina."I took the curse off of Percival's heart. If you truly want in your heart of hearts want him cursed for all eternity I will put it back on him. It's up to you, Regina." Regina glanced around, expecting every eye to be looking at her in horror but they just looked ready to leave.She realized that Merlin hadn't actually said the words out loud and only she could hear those particular thoughts."Don't," she thought as she turned and smiled at her son before she rested her head against her Outlaws shoulder and embracing him tighter. "I'm not that person anymore."Merlin gave her a soft smile and a nod to let her know he had heard her before he raised his hands and, in a flash of gold, they were back in Storybrooke.Robin and Roland went to the Merry Men's camp as soon as they could and were met with cheers and strong claps on the shoulders and hugs for the both of them and Little John shouting that Robin owed all his men a drink for 'taking away the only damn good restaurant in this town!''Robin just laughed and hugged his best friend, clapping him on the back as they welcomed their fearless and honorable leader back into their fold.That night as the town celebrated the heroes return at Granny's Robin sat against the wall as Regina leaned up against him with his arm wrapped around her. Roland and Henry sat opposite them both of them talking animatedly about their own adventures in Camelot.As Regina looked at the two boys and then up to Robin she couldn't help but smile. There were no new villains to destroy, no dead wives returning from the grave, no curses to break, no wicked sisters to defeat… She had her family, she had her friends, she had Robin who, unbeknownst to the brunette, had taken a trip to the Storybrooke jewelry store earlier today to buy a ring he would ask her, later on tonight when they were finally alone, to wear.Everything was perfect.Everything was finally just right.
The End