Work Text:
Lost and Found
Robin pored over the latest tax reports as annual tributes continued to roll in from the farthest reaches of the kingdom. He scrutinized everything, making sure the barons weren’t shortchanging them in an attempt to fill their own coiffures or taking too much from the people, leaving them struggling to provide for their families. They had had that issue a few years earlier, forcing him to ride out and take control of the situation. The baron in question had been forced to pay restitution to his people and they had kept a close eye on him ever since, as well as his peers.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he knew he was being watched. Almost seven y ears spent living as a prince could not undo his instincts as an outlaw. He tensed up as his heartrate doubled, ready to fight whoever was watching him. Robin clenched his fist as he declared: “Show yourself!”
Childish laughter reached his ears just before a little girl jumped up from the other side of his desk. Black curls framed her face and her blue eyes shown as she said: “It’s just me, Papa.”
“Oh, thank goodness!” he exclaimed, making a show of relief as he placed his hand over his heart.
She giggled again and he reached down, pulling her onto his lap. Kneeling, she wrapped her arms around her neck. “Can we play, Papa?” she asked sweetly.
“Later,” he replied, kissing her nose. “I have some work I need to do.”
Diana huffed, plopping onto his lap as she crossed her arms. She scowled, looking a lot like her mother. “Everyone is busy. It’s boring!”
“I know, sweetheart, but we have a big day coming up,” he told her, rubbing her back.
She sighed. “Coronation Day. I know.”
They had expected the people to want to celebrate the day they deposed Snow and Charming so he and Regina had been surprised when the anniversary passed without any celebrations. Neither didn’t think much more it, though. They were still rebuilding the kingdom after all the missteps Snow and Charming took as rulers while also adjusting to parenthood. Robin had then been surprised to hear cheering and music early one morning. He stumbled out onto the balcony and stared out in amazement at the festival that had sprung up at the palace gates overnight. A pol e with different colored ribbons had been erected and people danced around it to the music coming from a large group of musicians, all playing a familiar folksong.
Robin sent Tuck and John to investigate. They returned and explained that the people had declared it Coronation Day, celebrating Regina’s anniversary as queen. She had been surprised to learn that their people loved her that much now that they celebrated her ascension to the throne. She and Robin had quickly changed into more festive outfits and gave everyone in the palace a free day so they could enjoy the festivities. They went down as well, accepting flowers and other gifts from their grateful subjects. After a day spent feasting and making merry, their subjects then raised tankards and mugs to toast the anniversary of his marriage to Regina and to wish them many more years of love and happiness.
Thus a tradition was born. Each year, hundreds came to celebrate Regina’s reign and toast her marriage to Robin. Robin and Regina worked to make sure there was enough food and drink for everyone and also commissioned fireworks once the night fell. It was one of their grandest celebrations and all enjoyed it.
It also meant a lot of work for everyone , especially as it was also the best time for him and Regina to close out one fiscal year and begin a new one. There also weren’t many children in the palace, so he understood Diana was bored and in need of someone to entertain her. He and Regina had discussed inviting more children to the palace but that wouldn’t happen until after Coronation Day, which meant someone needed to entertain the princess now.
Glancing at his books, Robin gently tilted Diana’s head up so he could look in her eyes. “Give me until the clock chimes next and then I will come play with you,” he told her.
“The clock isn’t going to chime in forever!” she moaned, leaning against him with a sad look in her eye s.
Robin bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Diana had certainly inherited her mother’s flair for the dramatic (even if Regina denied it came from her) and was prone to exaggeration. “It’s only a half hour,” he told her. “Hardly forever.”
He set her down on her feet again. “Why don’t you go play in your roo and I’ll come get you when the time comes?”
“Yes, Papa,” she said. She gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek before leaving the room.
Content she would be fine until the hour chimed, Robin returned his focus to his task at hand.
The Great Clock stood in the center courtyard and faithfully marked the passage of time, ringing every hour. Its bells could be heard throughout the palace grounds and even carried across the calm blue waters of the lake that surrounded the island the palace was built on, meaning the villagers there could hear it as well. Everyone marked time by it.
As the bells proclaimed the new hour, Robin closed his ledger and stored it until his next review. He stood, stretching, before leaving the room. Prince Robin of Locksley was a man of his word—especially when it came to promises made to either his queen or their princess. He figured he would take her outside and let her stretch her legs as they enjoyed another beautiful summer afternoon.
“See, Diana, I told you it wouldn’t be forever,” he said, entering her bedroom. He looked around, frowning when he didn’t spot his daughter. Her dolls sat in her dollhouse, Rocinante lay on her neatly made bed and all her books were in their proper place. It all looked untouched, like Diana hadn’t been in there since waking up that morning.
Still, he walked around the room and checked for any places the six-years-old could hide. “Diana? Diana, come on out!”
He strained to hear even the faintest trace of his daughter’s familiar giggle. Silence greeted him and his heart sped up. Robin tried not to panic, certain that someone knew where she was. He rushed out into the hallway, eager to find her.
Robin strode down the hallway t ha t connected Diana’s room with t he bedroom he shared with Regina, wondering if Diana went there. He spotted a chambermaid as he entered the room and stopped her. “Have you seen the princess?”
“No, Your Highness,” she said, bobbing a quick curtsy. “I’ll keep an eye out for her thought.”
Robin thanked her before checking the room anyway, calling her name over and over. When silence once again greeted him and he was certain she wasn’t hiding there, he exited into the hallway. Tuck passed by and Robin called out to his friend, jogging over to him.
“What’s wrong?” Tuck asked, frowning. “You look concerned.”
“I can’t find Diana,” Robin explained. “I need help searching for her.”
Tuck tilted his head. “I’m sure she’s just off playing. She’ll appear when she’s ready.”
“She came to me complaining that she was bored. I told her to wait for me in her room,” Robin replied, trying to get his friend to understand his concern.
“Listen to yourself,” Tuck told him kindly. “She was bored so she probably went looking for fun. Diana is a good girl. She won’t leave the palace grounds without you or Regina. And the palace is well-guarded. Everyone will keep her safe and no one can harm her. Just give her some time and space. I’m sure she’ll reappear soon.”
Robin took a deep breath. What Tuck said made a lot of sense. The palace was safe and there was no way for her to get past the palace’s gates, not that she would try. She would no doubt find him soon enough—once she got bored with whatever she was doing. He just had to be patient.
After all, how much trouble could one little girl get into?
“I think we’ve accomplished a great deal today,” Regina said, closing the ledger in front of her. She glanced around the table, meeting each noble’s eyes as she said: “I think it’s time to call it a day. We can meet tomorrow morning.”
They murmured their agreement, gathering up their papers before filing out of the room. Once the door closed behind the last noble, Regina let her pleasant demeanor drop. She sighed as she sagged in her chair, rubbing at her temples. “How much longer?” she asked.
“Only a few more days,” Marian assured her. “Then it will be Coronation Day and then everyone will leave. It’ll be quiet again.”
“I’ve forgotten what quiet sounds like,” Regina replied wearily.
Beside her, Daddy chuckled. He patted her hand. “Why don’t you go find Robin and Diana and spend time with them? They always improve your mood.”
She smiled as she thought of her beautiful family. “Yes, they do. I think we shall all dine separately tonight, though you both are invited to join us.”
“I can never turn down an invitation for a family dinner,” he said. “Just send word to my room and I will be there as soon as I can.”
Marian, though, shook her head. “I have plans for dinner already. But you all enjoy yourself. Have a good night, Regina, Henry.”
“Good night, Marian,” she replied, watching her friend leave the room. She had suspicions on who Marian had dinner plans with but she didn’t want to pry just yet. Her friend would confide in her when she was ready.
Daddy stood, holding out his arm to her. “May I escort you back to your rooms?”
“Of course,” she replied, standing and looping her arm with his. They headed toward the door and he opened it, allowing them to enter the hallway.
People hurried past them, all looking more frantic than usual. She frowned looking up at her father. “What do you think is going on?”
“I don’t know,” he said, frowning. He motioned down the hallway. “Let’s ask Robin.”
She looked to where he was pointing, her heart speeding up as her husband strode toward her. He looked panicked—something she had never seen before. Robin always was calm, no matter how badly a mission went. Whatever had him so worried had to be serious.
“What’s wrong?” she asked before he even reached her.
“Diana is missing,” he said solemnly.
Regina thought her heart stopped and she struggled to breathe. “What?”
He looked guilty and heartsick. “She wanted to play. I told her to wait a half hour, to go play in her room. She wasn’t there. And she hasn’t appeared and it’s been hours. I’m really worried, Regina.”
Bile rose up in her throat and she swallowed it, trying not to panic. She knew it wouldn’t help. “Where have you looked?”
“Most of the bedrooms,” he said, “and the kitchens.”
She nodded, knowing those were their daughter’s usual haunts. Regina tried to think of other places as he said: “I have everyone in the palace searching every room, every nook and every cranny.”
“What about outside?” Daddy asked.
“She knows not to go outside without one of us,” Regina replied, frowning. “She must still be inside the palace.”
Robin nodded. “That’s what I figure.”
“Well, then someone has to find her,” she said, pushing up her sleeves. “Tell me where you want me to look.”
“I was going to check the north tower,” he said. “Why don’t you come with me?”
She nodded and turned to Daddy. “Can you check your rooms? Maybe she went there.”
“Of course,” he said. “Where should I meet you?”
“Right back here,” she told him. She then held out her hand to Robin. “Come on. Let’s go find our girl.”
He took her hand and they hurried in the direction of the north tower. Robin opened the door and she picked up her skirts, her shoes echoing on the stone steps as they made their way up to check the few rooms in the tower.
“I’m sorry, Regina,” he said after several steps.
She frowned, glancing over her shoulder at him. “For what?”
“Losing our daughter,” he replied, sighing. “If I had kept her with me or just gone to play with her when she came to me...”
“Stop,” Regina said, her voice firm. She opened the first door she came to and entered the room. It was small with very little furnishings and almost no place for Diana to hide. Regina was satisfied their daughter wasn’t in there but she didn’t leave.
Instead, she turned and faced her husband. “This is not your fault. You didn’t lose Diana. She knew she should’ve stayed in her bedroom and waited for you, that she shouldn’t have wandered off. And if you had dropped everything to entertain her, it would just teach her that she can get whatever she wants. We both know that’s not the lesson we want to teach her.”
He sighed, nodding. “I know. I’m just...”
“A concerned father who is worried about his daughter?” she supplied. She took his hands. “I get it but we need to stay calm. We’re going to find her.”
“I know, I know,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “And when we do, I’m going to hug her and then give her a very, very stern lecture about running off.”
She nodded, kissing him. “Sounds like a good plan. Let’s continue looking so you can do just that.”
Everyone regrouped in the main hall, none of them with Diana in tow. The sun’s light was growing dimmer as it slowly sank below the horizon. Regina glanced up at the darkening windows, a knot forming in her stomach. Diana had never been gone for this long and she was now really worried. Something must’ve happened to her baby and she needed to find her fast.
She turned to Robin. “I need you to go to Diana’s room and get Rocinante. Meet me in my study.”
Little John stepped forward. “We don’t need a spell, Regina. The Merry Men are excellent trackers.”
Annoyance flared up inside her. She knew they how good they were but now wasn’t about tending to their egos. This wasn’t some contest over who could find a wild turkey first. The stakes were far more higher.
“It’s getting dark and it’s getting cold,” Robin said, his own anger evident in his voice. “This is not a time to show off so put your ego away, John. We need to find her now and magic will find her a lot faster than any of us can, no matter how good we are. Understood?”
“Yes, Robin,” Little John said, shrinking back a bit. “We all care about Diana and don’t want to put her in any...”
Robin held up his hand. “Save whatever you’re going to say for later. We can’t afford to waste any more time.”
He left the room and Regina looked over the Merry Men. “Be prepared to help with the search. Wait by the door please.”
She swept past them without waiting for their response, knowing that they would do what she asked. Regina hurried to her study and went straight to her cabinet. It held little boxes that all contained different potions she felt she could need. She opened the one that contained the tracking spell and pulled out the vial.
“Here you go,” Robin said, entering the room. He held out Rocinante . “Do you want to douse him here or someplace else?”
“Here is fine,” she replied. “First, we should change into something more practical for tracking.”
She raised her hand and engulfed them in her magic. Regina felt her dress fade away, replaced by a familiar linen shirt, corset and pants. Her heels became her sturdy black boots again and her hair changed into a braid. When the cloud died down, Robin wore his familiar white shirt paired with his brown and green leather jerkin and brown pants.
“Let’s do this,” she said, uncorking the vial. She poured some of the potion on the horse before corking the vial again. Dropping it into her pocket, she waited for the spell to take effect.
Rocinante rose out of his hands and started to float down the hall. She took Robin’s hand and pulled him toward the door. “We need to follow that horse!”
They raced down the hallway, following the horse as it headed toward the front door. She spotted the Merry Men waiting there for them. “Open the door! She must be outside!”
Alan and Much threw open the doors, letting the toy float out into the evening. Robin and Regina raced out into the courtyard, the Merry Men close behind them. Her heart sped up as it continued toward a thicket of trees, one she knew had some treacherous terrain before it let out onto a beach. She prayed Diana hadn’t gone down to the water alone.
“Spread out! And be careful!” Robin called out to his men as they entered the thicket.
He and Regina stayed close, doing their best to follow the horse as it wove through trees. She pushed away branches, frowning. “What was our daughter thinking?”
“I intend to find out once we find her,” Robin said from behind her.
The trees grew thick and she lost sight of Rocinante. Regina swore, looking around. “Now what?”
“Shh,” he replied, pressing his finger to his lips. He turned his head slightly to the right before racing in that direction. She followed him, watching as he slid down into a trench. As she approached, she heard sobbing and her heart skipped a beat.
“I’ve got her!” Robin called up. She leaned forward and saw him cradling Diana. The girl buried her face in his chest as he climbed out of the trench.
Relief spread through Regina as she ran her hand over her daughter’s dirty hair. “Oh thank goodness! Are you hurt, Diana?”
“I think her leg is broken,” he said.
“Call the Merry Men and let’s get her back to the palace,” Regina said. “I can examine her there.”
He nodded, letting out three quick whistles. It was answered by several other whistles, each Merry Man acknowledging the message. The forest echoed with whistles as she and Robin hurried back toward the palace. Regina was glad her daughter was safe and was eager to put the whole ordeal behind her.
Regina easily healed Diana’s leg. She then gave her daughter a bath before all three of them had dinner together. Robin tucked the girl into their bed, giving her Rocinante to cuddle with after Marian had washed the toy, which had been found in the mud once Diana had been rescued.
Sitting on the bed, Robin and Regina flanked their daughter. “We need to talk,” he started.
Diana nodded. “I’m sorry I left the palace.”
“You know you’re not supposed to,” Regina reminded her. “Why did you disobey us?”
She grew sheepish. “There was a butterfly. I chased after it and before I realized it, I was out in the trees. I was going to come back but that’s when I fell and hurt my leg. I was really scared, Mama.”
Tears filled her eyes and Regina’s heart hurt to see them, to know that her baby had been so terrified. She pulled Diana into her arms and rocked her, stroking her hair as she made soothing noises.
Robin moved to sit next to them. “We were scared too. I didn’t know where you went.”
“I’m sorry, Papa,” she said, though it was spoken mostly into Regina’s shoulder. “I won’t do it again. I promise.”
Robin and Regina shared a look, knowing that Diana probably would cause many more scares for them. After all, she was their daughter and was a perfect combination of the two. She had her mother’s curiosity and her father’s adventurous spirt. As she grew up, she was going to be a little explorer. They were definitely going to have to keep an eye on her because soon it won’t be a butterfly that captures her attention but something that could be dangerous.
For now, though, Diana needed sleep. He leaned forward and kissed her head. “Time for bed, sweetheart. You’re going to sleep with us tonight.”
“Thank you,” she said, letting Regina tuck her in again. She rolled over and closed her eyes, breathing evening out as she fell asleep.
Robin and Regina changed into their nightclothes. Before they climbed into bed, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “Thank you for finding her,” he whispered.
“We both did,” she reminded him. She leaned back and kissed him. “Let’s get some rest. It’s been a long and tiring day for all of us.”
They separated and climbed into bed, curling around their daughter. With their arms wrapped around her and knowing she was safe, they drifted off to sleep as well.