*Missing Year* I'm not going to give you a summery to this short story as you can guess where this is going from the start.

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"Mmmm... Well... That's strange"

"What's that dear?" The queen questioned as she looked at the confused look on her stepdaughter's face.

"Prince John... He has accepted the invitation to the ball." Snow answered as she was looking through the RSVPS.

"And may I ask why that's strange?" Regina asked then added in question with a raised brow "You sent him an invite. Did you not?"

"Yes but... My father has sent him invites for year's and he has never accepted. So why is he accepting now?" The princess asked in confusion.

"Maybe it was your father."

"What's that meant to mean?" Snow questioned her stepmother.

"You can't be that naive" Regina glared at the princess "You and I both know that your father wasn't a good men, it was all a scam so his people would think he was a good king. But behind closed door's - " Regina couldn't continue.

"Regina I am really sorry about that, I don't know how many-"

"Snow stop" Regina put her hand up stopping her stepdaughter from continuing "You were only a child."

"So were you" The princess frowned as she was remembering that time in her young life.

"Well... We don't need to talk about this now" Regina simply said as she held back her tear's. Also remembering that time in 'Her' life.

"Okay" Snow said in understanding as she was there.

All though Snow White didn't see what had happened to the 'Then' young queen when she and her husband where in the bedroom, but she had seen some bad thing's happen to her stepmother at her father's hand.

And she couldn't do anything to stop it as she was only a 'child'.

"Prince John is from Sherwood Forest" The princess then said not in question as she changed the subject.

"Your point" Regina raised a brow, knowing where this conversation was going.

"I wonder if Robin Hood knows him" Snow just said as she ignored her stepmothers raised brow.

"I don't think the prince would be fond of bathing in the river, so there for I do not think they know each other." The queen simply said as she stood up to leave the table.

"Regina" Snow called her once nemesis causing her to stop in her track's, but she didn't turn around to face the princess as she continued to speak. "You can't keep running from him forever, you two are soul mates . Even if he leaves the castle, you will see him again, look at Charming and me. We always find each other." The princess simply explained as Regina had confided in her one night after she had one to many drinks.

That was the night that Regina had first seen the outlaw's tattoo. He was, is, her soul mate.

"I am not running" Regina spun around to face her new friend as they have become closer over the six week's since they had arrived back to the enchanted forest,

"Regina" Snow let out a little chuckle "Every time his name is mentioned you find a way to leave the room. I don't understand why you just don't tell him."

"Tell him what" She was now hiding behind her wall's. It was easier now as she didn't have alcohol in her system, but Snow could see right through her.

"That you love him." The princess simply said.

Regina just huffed as she ignored the princess's statement then turned around without saying another word and left the room.

;;;

"Robin, Robin" A frantic voice called as he ran into his leader's chamber's with Little John right behind him.

"What?" The prince of thieves shouted as his young son had ran behind him in a frighting move.

Roland, that was his son's name. He was afraid and also having nightmare's from when he was attacked by that flying monkey, and one of his merry men was barging into his room shouting in a panic. Robin Hood was annoyed at that as all his men knew what his young son was going through.

"Prince John is coming to the ball" The young merry man then shouted.

"Roland" Robin knelt down to his son's level, then said as he nodded to little John.. "Go with little John."

Once his son left the room Robin grabbed the young merry man 'Whose name was Much' by the throat and shoved him against the wall in an annoyed voice as he spoke "What did I tell you?"

"I'm sorry" Much chocked out then quickly added repeating himself "Prince John is coming to the castle."

Robin loosened his grip and just simply said "We are all fighting on the same team now, so I'm sure he'll put the past in the past."

"But boss he has had a bounty out on your head for over the last 30 year's" Much then said.

Much has only been a member of Robin's merry men for the last two year's, but he has been following the outlaw's movement's from when he was a small boy as Robin Hood was his hero.

Then when he became of age he had past the test's that Robin had always set up for when people wanted to join his band of merry men.

They needed to be skilled hunter's, needed to be skilled at the sword and with a bow and arrow and most importantly, they need to be great thieves. Which Much was, as young as he was he was the only one to pass all of the test's with flying color's.

"I know that, but we have the prince and princess on our side" Robin just said 'And hopefully the queen' His inner voice spoke as he was hoping that she was feeling what he did.

Since that day that he had saved her from that flying monkey, The moment he looked into her eye's when he asked her if she was all right, and she had basically told him to piss off, but he had seen something then.

But he has had a few little moment's in the last six week's with the queen, where he was slowly knocking down those wall's that she had build over her heart., so he was hoping and praying a little that she would have his back as he would have hers.

"But boss-" Much started.

"It will be okay" Robin cut the young man off then just said. "Now if you don't mind, I would like to start getting ready."

Much then just said okay as he didn't want to fall out with his idol. He was also hoping that the royals would help the prince of thieves, after all Robin was a skilled fighter and Much thought that the royals could use his help. So maybe they would help the leader of the merry men 'IF' prince John had wanted to arrest his boss, that is.