The Prince of Darkness

Healing

As Robin came to, he took stock of what he felt. He seemed to be wearing a shirt and pants made of a lightweight material and covered by a silky sheet. A soft, downy pillow cushioned his head and rested on a comfortable mattress. Opening his eyes, he saw white curtains around the bed blowing in a light breeze as he heard the sounds of water lapping at the shore. Pale sunlight shone through the curtains.

Turning his head, he was relieved to see Regina asleep beside him. Her dark hair was fanned out on the pillow and the color had returned to her cheeks. Robin watched her chest rise and fall, tears coming to his eyes. He reached over and pressed his hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating steadily under his palm.

She was alive.

Regina rolled closer to him, letting out a sigh of contentment. He held her close, relieved that he hadn't lost her after all.

He closed his eyes, deciding to get some more rest. Instead, he saw the people being thrown back by his burst of dark magic in the town hall and the lifeless body of Albert Spencer lying amongst collapsed chairs, his arrow sticking out of the man's chest. Next was the uncertain eyes of Regina as he kissed her, eager to arouse her. It was replaced by the pain her eyes held as Albert Spencer used the fact they were having sex in public against her. He saw the fear flash in Henry's eyes as he grew rougher with him than he ever would've been. Nottingham's heart replaced that image before he saw himself pulling out Will's, threatening his friend.

Opening his eyes, he swung out of bed and retched into a basin resting on the nightstand. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm his stomach.

"A bit hard to stomach, isn't it?" a soft feminine voice asked.

Robin looked up to see a beautiful woman wearing a long white gown standing in the doorway to the room. She had long black hair and green eyes with a dusting of freckles across her nose. Kindness shone from her eyes as she gave him a soft smile. "My name is Nimue. Welcome to Avalon."

"Avalon?" he asked. "Why are we here?"

She stepped closer. "This is a place of healing. Regina needs her body healed and you need it for your soul."

"Can my soul be healed?" he asked, staring ahead at nothing. "Do I deserve to have it healed?"

"That's something you'll have to determine yourself. But if you ask me, everyone deserves to have healing," Nimue replied.

He glanced over at Regina, now curled on her side as she slept on. She had soft smile and his heart broke at the pain still yet to come for her. "She was going to have a baby..." he said softly.

"She still is."

"What?" Robin turned his head quickly, believing he had misheard her. "How is that possible? The baby was conceived only a few days ago. It couldn't have been strong enough to survive that."

Nimue smiled. "Your magic as well as the Savior's was able to form a shield around it, keeping it safe until the waters could heal her body."

He smiled as he let out a little laugh. "I'm going to have another baby."

"Yes, you are," she replied. "But there is still one matter to address."

It hit him like a punch in the gut. "The fact I sired a child while I was the Dark One."

She nodded. "There are a lot of things to consider."