The Enchanted Forest (OutlawQueen)

Chapter 4

Robin watched as Regina disappeared from sight, long hair streaming out behind her. He knew she was crying, and it saddened him to see that the strong woman who bore herself with such regality had been reduced to tears. Also, why was she standing outside his room? He'd never seen her in this part of the castle except the first night when she'd shown him here; there was no reason for her to come here, nothing she could possibly want from a group of outlaws whose heads she'd wanted for years.

Walking into the room he saw Little John kneeling before Roland and giving him a stern talking-to. The words became clear as he approached, and they filled him with anger. His son looked like he was about to cry.

"John." The man turned round, immediately guilty as he saw his leader standing there with a disappointed look on his face. "I will ask you only once. Do not talk about the Queen in such a deprocating manner."

John got up from the floor and stepped briskly from Roland to Robin, lowering his voice but the anger was still clear.

"Do you have any idea what she's done?"

"Yes, I have heard many stories about the great and terrible Evil Queen, but you should never judge someone until you know them. I don't want to hear it," as the other man tried to protest. "Don't ever let me hear you dragging her name through the mud again. Now get out. Maybe a good night's rest will clear your prejudiced mind."

Little John scarpered, muttering discontentedly under his breath. Robin breathed in deeply, trying to calm himself down. He'd never thought he'd have to reprimand one of his own men for trying to force an opinion, but there it was.

He crouched down in front of his son, who now looked forlorn.

"Where were you just now? Why did you leave your room?"

"I went to find Queen Gina. She looked sad and I wanted to cheer her up." Robin's mouth quirked at the affectionate shortening of her name.

"How did you know she was sad?"

"I've never seen her smile since she saved me." That observation hit him like an arrow in the chest. He hadn't seen her smile either, not genuinely. Just the wistful, sad little one before she'd walked off to curse herself, and the somewhat manic one when she came back in.

"Are you angry at me?"

"No, Roland. I'm angry at Little John because he thinks Gina is a mean person."

"But she's not! She carried me back here so I wouldn't get lost."

"I know. But some people don't like others because of where they come from. Little John doesn't like Gina because she's a Queen, and sometimes she has to punish people who do bad things." He hoped that was enough elaboration for Roland. He didn't need to know what she'd done before the curse, because somewhere deep inside he knew she would never sink that low again. Not as long as she loved her son, which he knew from experience would be forever.

"Where is Gina?"

"She went back to her room. She's probably in bed by now, which is exactly where you should have been half an hour ago, you little scamp!" Grabbing him and swinging him up into the air, he let him fall gently onto the bed, lightening the mood in the room considerably which was exactly his intention. When Roland's laughter subsided, he fell asleep almost instantly. Robin sat by him for a little while, stroking his hair.