An Impromptu Rescue

The Lion Tattoo

Chapter 3: The Lion Tattoo

A/N: Thank you all again! It's brings me great joy to know people are enjoying this.

This chapter is quite a long one and I'm sorry if it drags a bit but I didn't really want to split it.

Enjoy!

____________________________________________________________

Even though sleep had caught Regina easily, it was anything but a peaceful night. She awoke many times, tossing and turning as her fever caused her to break out into a cold sweat and become incredibly restless. But she would eventually fall into exhaustion, her body tired from its battle against sickness.

When morning comes Regina wakes to the faint, melodic sounds of nature and muffled laughter coming from outside of the tent's walls. It was almost peaceful. But the brunette has no time to dwell on this. She needs to figure out a way to get out of this camp.

She couldn't summon Rumplestiltskin here. No, that would surely backfire as that would probably lead to the reveal of her true identity, and she can't have that. Unfortunately, she couldn't get up and waltz out of the camp either as her legs were still immobile, and according to Robin, that would be the case for the next couple of days. She can't even use her magic right now! So, that idea is shot down immediately.

No, she needs to figure out something that doesn't involve summoning someone, walking or using magic of any kind.

The only plan that comes to mind is to wait out the next couple of days until she can walk again and then resume her search for Snow White. Yes, as soon as Regina was able, she was going to leave this tent and sneak out of this camp, but not before grabbing some sort of weapon and possibly a horse. Once she's free, she would find her insipid step-daughter and kill her, finally succeeding in completing her revenge.

The brunette was musing over all the possible ways in which she could end the little brat's life, when she was suddenly interrupted by the tent's flaps opening and closing, causing her to glance up at who had entered.

Regina relaxes slightly as she realises it was just the thief, but then became incredibly annoyed as she becomes aware that privacy was going to be hard to come by. I've really got to get out of here.

"Good morning," the blue-eyed man greets, walking to the foot of the cot the brunette was currently occupying, "and how are we this morning?"

Regina only groans in response. She was anything but comfortable with this whole situation and her fever was giving her hell. "Other than having an aching body and being in a stranger's tent I'm just swell." the brown-eyed woman quips. She really just wants to be left alone with her aches and pains, not wasting her breath on the outlaw in front of her so, the brunette lowers her gaze hoping to silently tell him she's in no mood to talk.

However, he doesn't seem to get the message.

"Well, that's rather unfortunate," Robin replies, "especially seeing as this stranger has gone very much out of his way to provide some sort of comfort for the woman in his care." He then makes his way to Regina's side and sits down, a respective distance between them.

The brunette struggles to hide the smirk that forms on her lips. "I wasn't made aware that I was under his care." she remarks, slowly becoming less annoyed by the thief's presence.

"Oh, you most certainly are." he retorts, his tone playful.

"Oh really?" Regina chuckles.

"Yes," Robin replies, "and in fact, he even bothered to offer you breakfast."