Redeeming a Dark Heart

Chapter 4: Waiting

My sleep was interrupted regularly throughout the rest of the day and night, and I would wake up to find myself covered in a cold sweat. The first few times I awoke, it was Little John who sat at the far side of the tent and I would quietly fall back to sleep after drinking any herbal brews that had been placed beside me. However, I awoke around breakfast time the next day to find Robin sitting there instead of Little John and my stomach growled with hunger. I hadn't eaten anything substantial since I had left my castle, of course I would be hungry. I lifted my head off the pillow. My neck was stiff and my head still ached, but the pain was much more bearable than it had been yesterday.

"Any better?" Robin asked, seeing that I was awake.

"Actually, yes." I replied, my voice raspy and dry. I just wanted to stand up and go find Snow, but I knew I still wasn't well enough to do that yet. "Thank you." I told him. The herbs he had given me seemed to be working quite well, and what he had done by saving my life could not be repaid easily.

"Don't thank me." He said humbly. "I didn't do anything." He made it seem so nonchalant to go around saving someone and devoting whole days of your time to taking care of them.

"Of course you did something." I scoffed. "You saved my life, you can't kid yourself out of that." I told him. I realized that I was staring to sound more demanding, more like myself. I had to keep my act up if I ever wanted to find Snow.

He thought about my comment for a minute and I studied his face. I had to admit, he was good looking for a thief. His blue eyes stared back at me in thought, looking right through me and on to something only he could see. He pursed his lips together and shook his head as if to clear it from whatever he'd been thinking about.

"I suppose you would like something to eat." He said. "You haven't been awake long enough to eat anything since I brought you here, you're probably starving." He immediately stood up and went out to get me something, not waiting for me to respond.
As he fetched my breakfast, I attempted sitting up straiter until I sat with my back strait. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but it felt good after being in the same position for days.

Robin came back in with food for himself and me, and smiled when he saw me sitting up. He handed me a wooden plate.

"Thank you." I said before I started digging into the food. I was hungry, but I forced myself to eat slowly and take small bites in order to show him that I did have manners.
We cast sneaky glances toward each other as we ate, much like children at school trying to figure out what the other was doing, without giving away that you were looking in on their business.

I finished my last bite of food and set my plate on the ground to my left. "How long will it be before I'm well enough to stand?" I asked him, hoping it wouldn't be long. I was already off of my schedule for finding Snow, and I wasn't sure how much more time I had before I needed to go back to my castle.

"You should be well enough within a few days." He told me and I nodded in reply. Then he tilted his head to ponder a question. "Is there somewhere you need to be?" He asked me, raising an eyebrow slightly as if he knew something.

I smiled and chuckled to myself. "Not exactly." He looked disappointed in his predicting skills and for some reason, I didn't want to let him down. "Not somewhere, more like someone." I told him and he looked pleased again. He turned his head slightly and raised both eyebrows with a questioning look.

"You're looking for someone?" He confirmed. I nodded my head slowly, making sure I had thought out what I would say next so he wouldn't be able to tell my true identity.
"Im trying to find an old friend." I told him and he nodded, waiting for more. "Snow White." I said after a short pause. He looked at me thoughtfully and finally replied.
"I can help you find her." He offered kindly. "She's not far from here, we've crossed paths before." He told me. I smiled, keeping my thoughts to myself.

"That would be great." I said in excitement, then slowed myself down. "If...it's not too much trouble." He smiled at me.

"No trouble at all." He stacked my plate on top of his own and stood up to return them.
I watched him exit the tent and sighed. I felt like I owed him something, I just wished I knew how to repay him for his kindness. There wasn't much I could do for him, even though I was queen and he was just a thief, he was still the one doing everything for me. Think about him later, I scolded myself. Right now, you need to focus on getting better so that you can do what you've needed to do for a long time.

Kill Snow White.

All I needed to do now was wait.