Robots in Sherwood

Chapter One

The Doctor opened the TARDIS door. Clara had wanted to see Robin Hood, so the Doctor would show her that there was no Robin Hood to see. He was just a story. He flew the TARDIS to 1190 and parked in Sherwood Forest.

He stepped out of the TARDIS and spoke to Clara who was still inside. "No damsels in distress, no pretty castles, no such thing as Robin Hood."

An arrow lodged itself in the TARDIS. The Doctor looked up to find a man and a woman, the man was holding a bow.

"You called?"

"I would have said something more like 'the next arrow goes between your eyes', but that works too," the woman muttered.

"Who are you?" The Doctor asked. It couldn't be Robin Hood; the two were wearing twenty-first century style clothing, and who was the woman? The TARDIS must have malfunctioned.

"Robin Hood."

"Regina."

"No."

Regina turned to the man who had claimed to be Robin Hood. "This is why we don't go around giving out our Fairytale Land aliases."

"But Robin Hood is my actual name. I don't have a Storybrooke alias."

"Just Robin would have been good enough."

Clara exited the TARDIS behind the Doctor. "Hey--wait, I thought we were in 1190?"

The Doctor turned around to face Clara. "We're supposed to be. But this man here is claiming to be Robin Hood, so is that good enough for you?"

Clara gave the Doctor a weird look before walking over to Robin Hood and Regina. She spoke to Regina. "If he's Robin Hood, then who are you?"

"Regina."

"So the real Robin Hood story is...what...wrong?"

"In some sense, yes. It's also over and we're past wherever the stories end."

The Doctor had joined Clara in standing across from Robin Hood and Regina. "If you're the real Robin Hood," he said, "you wouldn't be able to pass up a sword fight. So I challenge you to a duel!"

"Doctor, no," Clara tried to argue.

"If I prove to you that I'm the real Robin Hood, will you help us get back home?" He asked.

"Gladly."

"Then I accept your challenge."

"Robin!" Regina scolded. She grabbed his arm and turned him so he was facing her before lowering her voice. "We can't go around picking fights with people. What happens if you lose?! You don't even have a sword!"

Robin looked at Regina, who sighed and used her magic to create a sword for him. "Promise me you'll be safe."

"As safe as I can be in a sword fight. But we've got to find some way to get home."