An Impromptu Rescue

Hidden Meaning

An Impromptu Rescue – Chapter 4 – Hidden Meaning

A/N: Ok so: TRIGGER WARNING! There is some pretty violent stuff in the beginning of this chapter. So I'm just putting a warning out for those with gentle stomachs.

I would really love to know what you all think of this chapter! So please, please leave a comment or review!

On another note this chapter is a lot shorter than the last one and it is shorter than I originally planned, but that was because I had to rush this one - I will explain why in the A/N at the bottom

Ok enough of my rambling

Enjoy!

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"The camp is just up ahead." Through these bushes." Robin tells her as he leads her to those said bushes, gently tugging on her hand.

Regina chuckles at his over eagerness. "Alright Robin, slow down!" the brunette smiles as she continues to hold onto his hand. "I'm sure they're all waiting for us."

He glances back at her, returning the smile. "They're going to love you Regina." he says as he brings her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss to her knuckles, making Regina's heart skip a beat and heat to rise into her cheeks. Before long he resumes his path, leading her behind the bushes, to reveal a hidden waterfall. They make their way behind it, Robin squeezing her hand as they walk through the hidden passage. Light appears at the end and the blue-eyed man looks back and gives her one more smile as he brings her closer to their destination.

Once they break out of the passage the warmth of the sun hits her face making her smile. But once the hidden clearing becomes within full view her smile falls away as she's overcome with the stench of rotting flesh making her crinkle her nose. But what causes Regina's stomach to drop is the sea of bodies that lays before her and Robin, and her heart sits in her throat as realisation washes over her.

His men, all of his Merry Men, are dead. Not even one has been spared.

She takes in the crumpled and misshapen bodies of Robin's family and the remains of the place he calls home. But what she refuses to take in as her and the thief unclasp their hands and make their way into the carnage is who could've done this? Who could be so heartless as to kill so many innocents?

She finds her answer by noticing the arrow lodged into a man's back – who carries a striking resemblance to Tuck – attaching him to a piece of paper. But it's not the paper that catches her eye. It's the arrow. Regina becomes sick as understanding dawns on her.

She ordered this to happen.

The brown-eyed woman glances at the scrap of paper and sure enough it's a wanted poster for the lives of Robin Hood and Snow White, confirming her self-accusation. Her legs give out as she collapses to the ground as a shaking hand coming to cover her gaping mouth, the other hovering over where the arrow has impelled the man that fell victim to it. "I'm so sorry." she barely whispers. Her body starts to shake at the horror that she's created, internally asking herself, What have I done?

A shadow then falls upon her. Regina notices it's a human shadow and tears prick behind her eyes as she already knows the owner of the shadow.

She turns, and meets Robin's gaze, his eyes filled with hurt, betrayal and unshed tears. Tears of her own now pool with her brown orbs as she sobs, "Robin, I'm so sorry. I didn't-"