Beautiful Lily

How love will thaw

Henry escorted his mother up the path with Robin following closely behind. Mary-Margaret, Hook and Emma were just a couple of feet ahead of them hiding behind some bushes leering at what was in front of them. They could hear clamoring just beyond the bushes and Regina waved her hand extinguishing the glowing orb. Emma stood in between Hook and her mother and contemplated their next move. They had reached the mob. Just ahead of them, they could see in between the trees, Elsa's mansion. The building was casting off an eerie blue glow, lighting up her establishment using the moon's light. Regina and Robin stepped closer to hear all of the commotion.

Lit torches could be seen just fifteen feet away from where they were. A distinct female voice could be heard instigating the crowd. "Come on out and face us!"

"Don't be a coward!" said one man.

"We're not afraid of you!" cried out another in the crowd. Elsa stepped forward out on her balcony to peer below at the mob. Marian stepped out in front of the mob to confront Elsa.

"Are you the one they call 'Queen Elsa'?" shouted Marian. Elsa complied and nodded, preparing to protect herself and defend her home if necessary. "We are not here to harm you. However, you have destroyed our homes and we demand retribution. Unfreeze our land where our homes reside and we'll leave from your place with no quarrel."

Elsa backed away from her balcony, unsure how to address this foreign crowd.

"Hey!" roared Marian. "We are not part of the royal company you desire to torment. We are a free people who will fight to protect what is ours! Your issue is not with us, it's with the royal family."

"Marian!" shouted Robin coming out of the woods from behind the bushes. "What are you doing?"

The crowd turned facing Hook, Mary-Margaret, Emma, Henry, Regina and Robin. With their cover now blown there was no use in hiding any more, so they all followed Robin out from behind the bushes. "So much for a plan," said Emma under her frustrated breath.

Robin came forth, hoping his presence alone would be enough to calm the rioting mass. He walked past his friends from camp and headed straight toward Marian. The mob looked on silently, hesitant over the power struggle being displayed. "Who are you fighting for Robin, her?" she said nodding implicitly over at Regina. "You've changed, Robin. You've gone turn-coat on us. If she's a royal leader like she claims to be, she should sacrifice herself on behalf of her people because that's what a good leader of the people would do."

"So is that's what you think you're doing? Sacrificing yourself?" Robin argued back at Marian incredulously. The look of disgust painted his face and it was evident to everyone there.

"She's right," said Regina emerging and forcing her way to the front of the crowd. Robin turned looking at Regina getting close to him. She looked over at Marian, consenting to her statement.

"We need to get people to seek shelter. You don't have to prove anything," insisted Robin.

"Yes, I do. I always knew somewhere deep down, that I wasn't meant for happiness. I've hurt and killed too many people in my past, and that will always make me the villain. No," she said looking down, mustering up the courage to accept what she was about to say next, "it's time for me to pay retribution." Regina looked deep into Robin's eyes, "I'm the villain. I don't deserve a happy ending. That will always be my burden to bear."

"No," said Robin coming over to Regina, tenderly holding her shoulders. "I don't accept that. You are neither the villain nor the hero. You are simply Regina. You are a mother, who loves her son very, very much. You make your own destiny. You said it so yourself to Zelena. All you need to do now is believe in it."