Redeeming a Dark Heart

Chapter 6: A Mother

I blinked open my eyes the next morning to see Robin's familiar face. He gave me a smile as he saw me waking. I yawned and faked a smile back.

"Good morning." He said cheerfully.

"Good morning." I replied sleepily, echoing him.

I slipped off the covers and Robin helped me up off the sleeping mat. He took my hand and placed it firmly on his shoulder for support. He held open the tent flap with one hand and I stepped out. My legs felt much stronger already and I barely needed Robin's shoulder for balance. We walked around the camp twice and then he brought me to the center of the camp once again. I sat down on one of the logs and Robin brought over a plate for me but didn't sit down.

"I'm going out hunting today with the rest of the men." He informed me. "So I can help you back into the tent now or--"

"I'll be fine out here." I quickly responded. I'd had enough of being stuck in the tent. Although it wasn't much better sitting out here with nothing to do, it was better than sitting in a tent all day.

"Alright." He said, nodding his head. "Someone will stay here with you, but we're leaving now so..." He trailed off, beginning to turn away. "I'll be back later." He told me, turning back once more as if he didn't want to leave me. He ran over to the group and they set off.

I turned my back as they walked away. I waited until the crunch of the leaves under their feet had faded away to nothing until I turned around to look back. They were already gone I knew, but I turned to look anyhow. After a few seconds, I turned back to my plate and slowly ate my breakfast, feeling alone and abandoned. I had spent months alone in my castle, but this felt different.

I wasn't sure how to spend my time alone, all I wanted to do was find Snow so that I could get my happiness, but I wasn't ready for that yet. I picked up an arrow that was lying on the ground next to the dying fire. I twirled it around in my hands, running my fingers along the rough wooden rod that made up the length of the arrow and continued along the feathers at the end. The tip was a golden heart shape that came to a sharp point at the end. I tested its sharpness by digging it into the wood of the log I sat on. I drilled a small hold before leaning down to pick up a thin branch from the ground. I used the arrow tip to smooth out the surface and then began to carve small patterns into the surface.

All of a sudden, I heard a loud cry from one of the tents. It startled me out of the silent world I'd been in and I jumped at the sound. The head of the arrow slipped from the wood I was carving and slid onto my hand, leaving an open cut across my finger that began to trickle with warm blood. I dropped both pieces I'd been holding and grabbed my finger to stop the bleeding and sharp pain. I sucked the cut to clean it, then wrapped it with a pice of cloth I tore from my ragged dress. The crying continued. It wasn't until now that I realized it was the wailing of a baby that I heard. I looked up to see if the man who had stayed here was going to do anything about the crying. I hadn't even known that there was a baby here until now. I scanned the area for the man and found him asleep at the base of a tree on the other side of camp. The crying still didn't stop and I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't. I sat on the log, not sure what to do.

Should I go try to calm it down myself? I had no idea how to make a baby stop crying. Should I wake the man up?

"Excuse me." I said loudly. No response. "Excuse me!" I yelled louder. The man still didn't even flinch. I tried again but the man gave no sign that he would wake up.
The cry of the baby rang in my ears.

"Shut up!" I yelled angrily. That only made the baby cry louder.

Great job, Regina. I thought to myself. You're just doing a great job so far.
I took a deep breath and used the log for support as I stood up. You can do this. I encouraged myself. I didn't need Robin for help. I took a few steps toward the direction of the wails. It was only a few yards to the tent and I made it easily with only a few unsteady steps.