Consuming Darkness

CHAPTER 4: Cold Nights & Unrevealed Truths

Thank you for your patience! I know Robin was very OOC and a total assbutt (if you understand my reference I love you) but fear not! Things are explained right here! Also to make things clear, the italics represent a flashback that happened the same night of Marian's return after Robin goes looking for Regina with Emma and Henry. Hope you enjoy :)

oOo
CHAPTER 4: Cold Nights and Unrevealed Truths

When the smoke dissipated, Robin appeared just outside his camp. He sighed and slumped his shoulders in defeat while he held back tears. He couldn't believe what he had just said. He felt abhorrent. He still doubted if what he said was right thing to do -of course it wasn't, but did he really have a choice? There was no doubt that what he had done wasn't the right thing to do, but at the same time - did he really have a choice? He sat on a tree branch and got over the past night's events in his mind.

Robin got out of his tent, and picked up his bow and quiver and headed before heading deep into the forest. He had been tossing and turning all night, trying to find a comfortable position for him to fall asleep in, but had failed miserably. He couldn't get her out of his head. Sure, he was happy his wife was back, but he wasn't as happy as he should be. If Marian had been brought back a year ago, then perhaps matters would be different. They could continue being a family and live a normal and happy life together, but that wasn't the case...

He knew the reason why he wasn't over the moon with her return; it wasn't something he had to dwell on. He was in love with another woman, and if the matters weren't complicated enough with this single fact - the woman he loved was the not-so Evil Queen .

Robin kept on walking deeper and deeper into the forest, too distracted to notice the great change in temperature. There was an unexpected rustle of leaves nearby which interrupted his thoughts. He turned, looking around, at all sides trying to find the origin of the sound. Then he heard it again. This time it was harsher, louder than the last, which meant it was a person ,rather than an animal.

He took an arrow out of his quiver and aimed towards the source of the sound. To avoid letting his presence known - he took light steps, pushing leaves away from him. He followed the rustling sound which lead him to an empty clearing.

"Well, this is weird" he thought. He lowered his weapon enough to look around. He saw the tall trees that surrounded him, along with bushes that could easily leave anyone without experience helpless. The only way to tell which way you had come from was to look at your own footprints that were rapidly disappearing in the dark, brown dirt.

The archer stood there for a few more seconds, trying to recognize where he was. He had never been to that part of the forest before. All plants were extremely lush and if any human being had stepped in that place before, there was no sign of it. The whole ambiance was very quiet and mysterious.

When Robin's footprints were no longer visible he decided to return to the camp head back before he had forgotten his way back how. He began his journey when he suddenly realized that the smaller tree he was using as a guide point was no longer there. He turned around and saw the tree was now on his right side,no longer ahead of him as it should have been. He frowned in confusion before walking towards the tree again, yet he soon realized that. The more he walked, the further the tree seemed to be.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. After clearing up his mind he decided to look around once again, almost certain that his eyes were playing tricks on him. Yet, as it turned out, the tree wasn't closer to him that he was convinced previously, as he was sure he would realize after opening his eyes again. This time he couldn't see it at all.

"Fuck." Robin muttered.

"Can't say I wasn't expecting that kind of vocabulary from a commoner like you." a female echoed voice said.