Ch.6: The Witch Hunt

        It had been a few months or so, and Regina had finally forgiven them. Klaus for killing her. Katherine for giving him the okay to do it. Rumple had fully recovered. Kat still hadn't been able to figure out, even with Regina, how to bring Charming and Snow back, so she was starting to think that those two might be on their own. Now, there was a new face in town. A new witch, which controlled flying monkeys. Nobody knew who she was, exactly. They didn't even know where she was at, currently.

        Regina and Kat were in her office, Regina with a blue vial of something. There wasn't enough of it to use, but there was enough to replicate it. She was going to use it to figure out who the witch was. If they could figure out who it was, then they could find who controlled the flying monkeys, which kept picking them off, as they were trying to cross the town line. They also had realized that memories that would probably tell them all who the witch was, were gone. Buried magically by the witch. 

        "Thank you," Regina told her, before going over to grab something from a drawer. 

        "For what? We haven't done anything yet." 

        "You saw how quick this town was to blame me. But you...you believe me."

        "Of course, I believe you. I think I'd know if it were you, and I know it wasn't you," she replied. "I can normally tell when you're lying to me, after all this time in this town. I guess it comes from my experience of lying so much as a vampire."

        After she finished making a potion to restore any lost memory, it didn't work, so she threw it at one of her office walls, angry. When that didn't work, Kat suggested baiting the witch. They did so, but although she'd sealed the spell with blood magic, the intruder in the office disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

        "Not even the most powerful witch can break a blood magic spell," Regina stated, surprised. 

        "Are you sure you're an only child then?" Kat inquired. 

        "I'm sure I'd know if my mother had another child," Regina replied.

        "I don't know. Your mother lied a lot, but we'll find out soon enough," Kat replied.

        After quite a search for the witch, nothing had come up, so Regina decided that she'd go to the farmhouse. Find out if there was any evidence left behind. 

        "Be careful," Kat stated. 

        "She's the one that needs to be careful. She evaded my space. I won't be pulling any punches," she replied, before leaving. 

        It was a beautiful day, as Regina walked down a gravel road. Then she stopped after a few minutes, hearing a noise.

        "Show yourself, you winged-freak!" she called. 

        A moment later, an arrow came flying towards her, which she caught in her hand. 

        Someone came into view, walking over to her, as he said, "Apologies, m'lady. I thought you were the wicked witch."

        "And I thought you were a flying monkey," Regina replied.

        "I hope my mistake hasn't cost me my head, Your Majesty," he replied, walking up to her.

        "So, you know who I am," Regina commented.

        "Your reputation in the Enchanted Forest precedes you," he replied.

        "I didn't catch your name." 

        "Robin of Locksley, at your service." 

        He held out his hand, palm up, and she set the arrow in his hand. 

        "The thief," she commented. 

        "Well, as we're tossing labels around, aren't you technically known as the Evil Queen?" 

        "I prefer Regina. You think you can bring down the wicked witch with sticks?" 

        "Well, I'm certainly going to try."

        "I'm afraid we're too late. She's long gone."

        "Well, perhaps she left a trail," Robin suggested. 

        "I was hoping the same thing."

        "Well, then, you got yourself a partner." 

        "I don't remember asking for one," she replied, as she walked around him, ready to walk away from him. 

        "You didn't," he said, turning around to look at her. 

        "Just don't get in my way," she said, turning to look at him. 

        "I wouldn't dream of it," he replied. 

        Something familiar clicked in her, and she had to ask him, "Have we met before?"

        "I doubt I'd ever forget meeting you," he replied, before giving a smile. Then he led the way towards the farmhouse, her following.

        When they got inside the farmhouse, Regina began looking, but told him that there wasn't anything useful. 

        "A good witch covers her tracks, but a better one can uncover them," Regina informed him. "We'll find her. Just be patient."

        Regina was looking at a shelf full of bottles and containers, when Robin spoke. 

        "You know, I heard stories about the great and terrible Evil Queen, but from this angle, the "Evil" moniker seems somewhat of an understatement. Bold and audacious, perhaps, but, um, not evil."

        As he complimented her on that, she gave a smile, before turning around to face him. 

        "The name served me well. Fear is quite an effective tool."

        He approached, just inches in front of her, and grabbed a bottle of liquor. 

        "What about this? Is this magical?" 

        "Not exactly. But it is a liquid that can conjure courage, give strength, or even act as a love potion of sorts." She gave a chuckle, before telling him, "It's called whiskey. And no, it's not magical. Especially, the next day."

        He figured it out, and stated, "Oh," before grabbing a couple shot glasses from the shelf. 

        "You want to have a drink?" Regina questioned. "Now?"

        He set the shot glasses down, pouring some in them, and then grabbed them, turning around to face her. 

        "Well, I'd say we've earned it. Don't you?" 

        She gave a chuckle. 

        He handed her a shot glass of whiskey. When he did, she stopped in her tracks, seeing the lion tattoo. 

*Flashback*

        Tinkerbell and young Regina sat at a table outside.

        "You need love," she stated to Regina. 

        Regina chuckled, not believing her. 

        "You're going to help me find another soulmate?"

*Flashback*

        Regina stood outside a tavern with Tinkerbell, where some guy with a lion tattoo was drinking with some buddies. 

        "There he is," Tinkerbell told her. "The guy with the lion tattoo."

*Present*

        Robin saw her face. 

        "Is something wrong?" he asked her. 

        Without a word, Regina left, pretty much fleeing away from him, giving him no explanation, as he called her name, watching her leave in a hurry. She couldn't bare to deal with this right now. There were enough problems with the wicked witch. She didn't feel she could deal with her soulmate being here. She wasn't sure if she could even tell him. After all, she'd never gone through that door, because all she'd wanted at that time was vengeance on her mother.

        Later on that day, Regina watched Robin with his Merry Men, and with his son. She wanted to be brave and tell him, but she wasn't sure she was ready to take that step, not sure if she was ready to find out what his reaction would be. And her first priority was finding the wicked witch right now.