This is a different time period, where most titled men were arrogant, and a lady's marriage was determined by her statue and parents with them having no choice in the matter. I hope to capture the sass between Robin and Regina from Once in this story. Robin and Regina will not be like they are on Once in this story, as Regina will not have any magic for example. It does not have a BETA at this present time.

Robin Locksley, the Duke of Sherwood was attending his cousin Killian, the Duke of Yorkshire's ball for the spring time festival this weekend, as well as meet the woman who he was going to marry later this year. Her name was Lady Regina Mills, she was the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Storybrooke and he had first caught a glimpse of her over a year ago at another ball and he knew upon seeing her then he had to have her as his wife. He had stood on the sidelines of the ballroom and had watched as she had danced and danced with young man after young man. He had not wanted to make his intentions know for fear of her putting her off, no that night he had been content that one day it would be he who she would be dancing with all night long at such balls and parties.

Just earlier that month he had been in the at the edge of the woords before a clearing, standing there lost in his own thoughts when he was interrupted by the sound of pounding hooves. He glanced up to see a rider and mount gallop past him, heading to the headland. He watched the lad pull the mount to a halt, noticing the antics of the horse and the subtle checking of the reins by the lad. He moved quietly through the woods and stopped, resting against a tree, and coolly gazed at the intruders. His blue eyes passed the hurriedly over the figure clad in breeches, resting for a moment on the lad's bare feet.

When the sun kissed the twilight good day, the blue eyes moved to rest on the profile, which appeared very soft, very feminine, and an easy smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he he realized that the lad was no lad, but a lady. He moved closer, quietly, so as not to disturb the solitary girl. He saw the flush in her cheeks and the fine sheen of perspiration that covered her lovely face. His eyes were drawn to the rapid rise and fall of her breast, and when she raised her arm, the cloth of her shurt stretched taut, revealing the young, round fullness of her breasts and the pert peak of her nipple. His attention was reluctantly drawn by the tumbling of her glorious mass of raven tresses that fell to her waist, a waist, his experienced eye noted, he could span with his hands.

He grinned when she leaped to the ground and went head over heels and back upright again. His eyes traveled the length of her as she walked to the edge of the bluff, taking in her long, coltish legs, round, soft buttocks, and the carefree, almost provocative sway of her curvy hips. He smiled, watching the bewitching girl in her childlike embrace of the dawn.

He thought her to be around nineteen or perhaps twenty or so, a bit thin, he smiled crookedly, but in time, she would fill out quite nicely. He noted a natural grace and sultriness to her walk. She had something else, something inborn, like a pervading spirit; passion, it seemed, ruled her, as if it was in her nature. Now it was young, innocent, virginal, in its essence, but in time, with the right tutelage and the right man, it would blossom and burst forth like a newly tapped well from which a man could drink forever. He watched her and thought he could do so all day. He saw her curtsy to the sun as it came fully above the horizon and could not suppress a throaty chuckle from escaping his lips.

Regina spun around when she heard the laugh; the sparkled and gleam in her eyes fled, as fear of discovery took over. She saw a man unknown to her, leaning negligently against a tree. A myriad of expressions washed over her face, relief finally settling on her features when she realized she was not in danger of being discovered by her controlling mother. The rapid display of emotions did not go unnoticed by the intruder, nor did the return of the sparkle and gleam in the brown eyes that regarded him.

Regina placed her hands on her rounded hips, raised a delicately arched brow, and indignantly said, "Pray, sir, what do you find so amusing?"

He grinned broadly in admiration and let his blue eyes gaze course from her cheekbones to her fine, straight nose, which tip turned up to the small, slight tilt of her chin, a sign of pride. But it was her mouth that held his gaze. Her hidden passion and vulnerability were revealed in its fullness and softness. It was inviting, and he suppressed the urge to taste it. She promised to be exquisite.

"You," he replied to her question as he unfurled himself and stood at his full height.

As he slowly neared towards her, Regina's eyes widened, taking in his full measure. He was tall, and she instinctively took a step back, feeling small and vulnerable. He stopped, smiling at her reaction, causing Regina to stand her ground and tilt her head defiantly toward him. He moved with casual grace towards her, and she noticed the broadness of his shoulders and the rippling muscles of his arms. She fought the urge to retreat, in spite of the power and forcefulness he exuded.

"What governess have you escaped, child?" he slowly drawled as he stopped a hair's breadth from her.

Child! Regina bristled, and all caution fled, along with any thought of retreat. She tossed her head and replied. "I am not a child!" She brushed a strand of hair from her mouth with her hand. " And I assure you, sir, I have no need for a governess."

He deliberately let his eyes slowly roam over her form as if considering her claim. His mouth curved into a smile as he spoke. "That's debatable, little one."

Regina's eyes narrowed at the affront of this man. She took note that he was older, with dark blonde winged brows, arched above the most piercing, penetrating blue eyes she had ever seen. She shivered involuntarily, feeling as if they touched her soul. Composing herself, she sarcastically retorted, "No doubt someone of your advanced years would think so. Age, I'm told, distorts the body as well as the mind."

Amusement gleamed in the blue eyes. A grin flashed dazzlingly against the tanned skin in response to her words. She realized he was laughing at her and became more angry. "Obviously in your case, sir, your mind has been affected."

His response to her words were to throw his head back and laugh. She had a sharper wit than most of her age and he appreciated a woman with wit. Regina, too naive to appreciate the compliment, again felt that she was being the brunt of his laughter. She responded in anger, which now flared in her stormy eyes.

Realizing she was angry at his laughter, the man with blue eyes attempted to make amends, but Regina spoke first. "Stand aside, you...you...hyena and let me pass!"

"Little one, a hyena, you say." He spread his arms and continued. "What you see here is a man, flesh and blood." He moved slightly to let her pass.

With all the dignity befitting a queen, she brushed past him, her head held high, raven tresses rippling at she strode barefoot to her mount. Before jumping onto her horse she turned back to him and called out. "A man, aye, but sired by a hyena." She leaped up, kicking her mount into a gallop, hearing mocking laughter trailing behind her.

He had approached her father soon after their encounter and made a very generous offer for Regina's hand in marriage and before long, a contract had been made that on Regina's twenty-first birth year that they would be wed. Robin had watched her over the last year and watched her bloom from a young lady to a lady. He wondered yet if she knew of her upcoming marriage and Robin could tell that the Countess of Storybrooke was very interested in Regina being his wife. He saw the flicker of envy in her eyes and the gloating that he knew she would do once Regina and he were married.

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Regina was eating her breakfast with her parents in their home in Yorkshire, when she rose from her seat at the breakfast table slowly. "If you'll excuse me Father, Mother."

Cora looked up at her daughter, a question written on her face. Regina explained easily. "I just wished to go riding this morning and I wish to go upstairs to change." She turned to leave the room, lost in her thoughts over which riding habit to wear. Her blue or red? She failed to hear her mother's first summons. The second one was loud enough to rattle the teacups, and her tone reminiscent of one used when she was a child.

"Regina!"

She turned to find her mother standing, clutching her napkin in hand. Her face was red and in a clipped voice that forbade any argument, she said, "You will not!"

Angry at the tone used on her, as if she were a child, she retorted, "And why not? I have been closeted in this house for days now. Surely you can't deny me a riding date? Daniel said that Roccainte was now over her injury and that I can ride her now" Daniel was their stable boy who had been a riding instructor for Regina these last few years and they were in love with one another.

The only word Cora heard was "date." She meant to keep her safe for the King and not jeopardize the contract in any way. Whether she knew of the betrothal or not was of no consequence. She was going to see to it she behaved as a promised woman should. An engaged woman did not go galavanting across the countryside with another man. "You will do as a I say. And I will inform Daniel that his services are no longer necessary."

"But why?" Regina asked, for three years now she had been able to make her own choices at least regarding riding dates, and she was not about to let her mother tell her when, where and with whom she could ride.

Cora strode angrily across the room, grabbing her arm sharply. "Don't ever refute my orders again. You will not go to your room for the rest of the day."

"The hell I will!" she yanked her arm from her, then stumbled backward with the force of the blow that struck her face. She brought her hand quickly to the injured cheek, tears spilling down the stinging redness.

"Cora!" Henry Mills said as he stood up from the table.

"Sit down Henry!" Cora said as Henry did.

Cora stood there appalled at her daughter's disobedience. As if to atone for her action, she blurted out at the top of her lungs, "I'll not have you jeopardizing your betrothal to the Duke of Sherwood to appease your desire to ride about the countryside with a simple stable boy. Engaged persons do not conduct themselves in that manner, especially when they are betrothed to a Duke."

The blow had stunned her, but her mother's words numbed her so she did not feel her lift her abruptly and drag her to the door, handling her over her maid with instructions that she was to be locked in her room. All her mind cried out was, No! She loved Daniel! Tears running down her face, shock settling in, she allowed herself to be led to her room.

Cora watched her daughter leave and summoned a servant immediately. "Sidney!" She yelled rather loudly as Sidney came running to his mistress's bellow.

"Yes Countess? How may I be of service?" Sidney asked as he came into the room.

"That will be all Henry." Cora said to her husband who looked between them and quietly left the room as if he had dismissed like a servant instead of the master of the house that he should be.

"I need something taken care of. And I need it done immediately." Cora said as she went to grab her goblet of wine.

"What would you like me to do?" Sidney asked as he wondered what she was planning already.

"I need a problem removed. I need Daniel to be removed from my daughter's life once and for all." Cora said as smiled wickedly.

"It shall be done." Sidney said with menace to his words.

Regina paced the length of her room for the umpteenth time, feeling with walls close in each minute she remained locked within their confines. She looked futilely at the oaken door, giving in to the impulse to run over again and trying the knob. She sank to the floor sobbing, tears of frustration coursing down her cheeks. With renewed spirit, she stood banging the door with her fists. Hands sore, she leaned against the door, an anguished sob escaping her lips as she slid to the floor and gave in to the deep, wrenching sorrow she felt. Cradling her head in her arms, she cried.

She picked herself up and walked slowly to the window, leaning her hot head against the cool pane. Lifting her eyes to the sky, she noted the heavy cloud layer moving in. A large raindrop splattered against the glass pan, trailing down. Her tears spent, her rage under control, she mentally went over the scene with her mother. Her cheek still smarted from the blow, but not as half as much as the verbal blow she hit her with-betrothal! To a Duke! The Duke of Sherwood! God, the more she went over what she knew, the more she wished she hadn't. It was to astounding to believe. How could her mother have done that? Who was this duke who had shown up and destroyed her life, and dreams? Damn his royal soul to hell.

Turning from the window, tears beginning anew, she wearily walked to the bed, flinging herself down onto its softness, burying her head in the pillows. She drifted off to a weary sleep, hoping she'd awake to find it was only a dream. Waking to the rumble of thunder and the flash of lightning, Regina sat up. The room was lit in the unnatural light of the flash. Her head hurt, and she squeezed her eyes closed hoping to ward off the pain. She lifted her tear-filled eyes to the darkening shadows of early evening. The rain fell, thunder boomed, and the lightning flashed. In that moment she saw her hopes and dreams crumble. She saw that there was no one to help her. Daniel had no idea what had transpired. Determined to change what the hands of fate somehow had altered, she sprang into action with conviction, but no real plan.

Opening the window, she climbed out onto the balcony and down the rose trellis. So singular was her purpose that she was unmindful of the rain, which had begun to fall harder. She did not care that the wind whipped sheets of rain against her or that she jumped from the trellis and fell against the wet ground. No! She had to go to Daniel and they would have to run away together if they wanted a future.

She headed towards the stables and leaped on a mare's bare back and kicked her flanks galloping from her home and down the road. Regina scraped back wet strands of hair which blocked her vision. Her fingers were numb and cold and her head hurt. The rain was relentless, drenching her clothes so they clung to her like a second skin, no longer offering her protection from the wind. She never remembered feeling so cold, and thought she would never feel warm again. Squeezing the sides of her horse, pushing the mare into a canter, she withdrew into herself, escaping the effects of the elements. She would soon be wrapped in Daniel's strong warm arms. Finally she arrived at Daniel's family home and dismounted her horse quickly and as she was almost to the door, it opened suddenly.

"Mother." Regina said in surprise.

"Hello Regina." Cora said with a hint of a smile on her face.

"What are you doing here?" Regina asked.

"Word was sent that to the house that Daniel had been injured." Cora said as Regina gasped and rushed by her mother into the house to find Daniel's mother and father holding one another, Daniel's mother was weeping into her husband's arms. Regina followed their gaze to where Daniel laid on the couch. He appeared to be sleeping but the closer she walked up to him she saw his chest was not moving.

"No! Daniel!" Regina gasped as she ran to him and kneeled down on the floor beside him. "Daniel, wake up. Please come back to me! Without you I'm lost." Regina put her hands on his chest and tried to shake him awake. This could not be happening,he was her happy ending, the love of her life and he couldn't be dead. They had the rest of their lives to be together. She put her head on his chest and cried her heart out for herself and for Daniel.

"Regina dear, compose yourself." Cora said as she came up to Regina and placed her hands on her shoulders to pull her up but Regina resisted her mother's pull.

"What happened?" Regina asked as she continued to cry.

"His horse threw him, it was quite tragic." Cora said as his parents continued to mourn behind them.

"How? Daniel loved horses and they were always tempered around him. That's not possible." Regina cried as she moved her head to look at her mother.

"These things happen. Now we need to go and let his parents be with him." Cora said as Regina looked back at Daniel and kissed his lips once more before she stood up and went to his parents and hugged them both.

"I'm so sorry." Regina said.

"We know. He loved you." Daniel's mother replied as Regina let herself be led out to where her mother coach was and was placed in there, completely numb to everything. Once they arrived back the their home, Regina made her way upstairs to her room where she cried the rest of the night, never sleeping just dreaming of the love she had just lost and would never find again.

Downstairs Cora sat in a chair in the formal room in front of the fireplace, sipping on her scotch. She turned as she heard footsteps coming up from behind her, she turned as she saw who it was and smiled.

"You did well Sidney." Cora said.

"It was not easy. But now your plans are set in motion." Sidney said.

"Yes, they are. Now Regina will marry the Duke and we shall live in luxury the rest of our lives." Cora said as an evil smile broke out on her face.

"She doesn't suspect anything does she?" Sidney asked.

"No, and she is never to find out. Do we understand one another?" Cora asked.

"Yes Countess." Sidney said.

"Then that is all." Cora said as she waved her hand to dismiss Sidney, who bowed before leaving the room.

"Oh Regina, if you only knew what you were worth." Cora said as she thought of the money that would come in for her daughter's hand in marriage. Why it was enough to last them the rest of their lives. Her daughter's crush was not going to come in the way of her plans.