Author's Note: If you pause on page 23 and read the text, it comes from "The Golden Bird", a Grimm brothers fairy tale. At this point it doesn't seem likely that we'll find out the story behind page 23 beyond being a failed experiment of Isaac's, so I'm writing it myself, using Quite a Common Fairy and the Golden Bird fairy tale as my starting point.

Robin took another swig of ale. A thousand problems surged through his mind, not quite washed away by the drink. Over the noise of the tavern, he heard the door swing open. A gust of wind from outside blew through the room. Out of curiosity, he looked over his shoulder and saw a woman dressed in white standing in the doorway, staring straight at him. Their eyes met, and he thought he saw fear in her gaze. Then she turned and ran.

Instinctively, he stood. His legs carried him out the door after her, even while his mind told him this was silly. Just outside, he caught up to her. He grabbed her arm, and she spun around, looking at him with startled eyes. Yes, she was definitely afraid of something. Of him? He realized that he had given her reason to be, following her into the alley and grabbing her like he did. Awkwardly, he let go of her arm.

"Apologies, Milady," he said softly. "I was simply worried. Are you all right?"

She laughed, and a hard, cold mask went up to hide the vulnerability he had seen just moments before.

"What does it matter to you?" she snapped. "We don't even know each other."

He smiled and shook his head. It was true, of course. They were complete strangers, and yet something in him cried out that he wanted to know this woman, this breathtakingly beautiful stranger who was so obviously in pain.

"Then allow me to introduce myself," he said. "Robin of Locksley, at your service. And you are?"

"Regina," she replied, tilting her head curiously.

"Ah." He raised an eyebrow. "You know you have the same name as the King's new wife?"

Something shifted in the air between them.

"Yes, I'm aware."

No, there was more to it. He had felt the tension, seen something in her eyes for just a split second when he mentioned the King and Queen. Whatever it was, he wanted … no, he needed to know more. He had never met someone who fascinated him so much as this woman in the alley. Regina. What a beautiful name for an even lovelier woman.

"Well, Regina," he said. "What do you say you come into the tavern and let me buy you a drink?"

Regina smiled, and Robin's breath caught in his throat.

"All right then," she said. "Just one drink."

But of course she stayed for more than just one drink. As he looked across the table at her, he thought to himself that he had never seen a woman who took his breath away like she did. He felt a sudden urge to run his fingers through her silky black hair, but he held himself back. He might be a common thief, but with her, he didn't want to be anything less than a gentleman.

"So tell me about yourself, Regina."

Her eyes widened at his words. For a moment, she sat there awkwardly, staring at him. Then the mask went up again and her eyes turned cold.

"Why do you care?" she snapped.

He shrugged.

"I'd like to know you better," he said. "How am I to do that, if you won't tell me who you are?"

Regina hesitated, and Robin knew whatever she told him would only be a small part of the truth. If he wanted to unravel the mystery, it would take time. But then she smiled.

"Who do you think I am?" she asked.

He did a double take. If he wasn't mistaken, she was … well, she was flirting with him. His heart skipped a beat.

"Well, I'd say you're clearly from a wealthy family, to be going around dressed like that," he said. "Is that silk your dress is made of? Not what one would normally see in this part of town. And you're quite obviously one of the most beautiful women I've ever laid eyes on. And … you're hiding something. I don't know what it is, but there's more to you than meets the eye, I'm sure of it."

She sighed.

"All right," he said. "You can keep your secrets. After all, who am I? Just a stranger in a bar."

She didn't meet his eyes. He smiled to himself, even more intrigued.

"So who are you, Robin of Locksley?" Regina asked.

Robin felt the same hesitation he had seen on her face a few moments before. He, too, had secrets, but something in his gut was telling him to trust her.

"I am a man in a desperate situation," he said.

"Oh?"

In a hushed voice, he told her his story: how he had been caught stealing golden apples from King Midas' garden and been spared only on the condition that he put his skills as a thief to use and steal something the King wanted.

"King Leopold's golden bird?" Regina demanded. "That's what he wants?"

Robin nodded.

"It makes sense, doesn't it?" he asked. "Midas is powerful, but there are things he can't do. The things he turns to gold can't go on living, moving, and breathing – not like Leopold's bird does."

"So King Midas is jealous," Regina mused. "Or do you think he wants to learn how to create things like the bird himself?"

"Who knows?" asked Robin. "But I have no choice. I have to give him what he wants."

Regina's eyes sparkled knowingly.

"He has something on you. What?"

Robin sighed.

"One of my closest friends was captured along with me," he said. "A man called Little John. If I don't bring King Midas the bird within a week's time, he'll have John executed. That's why I have to do it."

Regina's eyes softened, and she reached across the table to take his hand.

"I know what it's like to lose someone close to you," she said. "Maybe … maybe I can help?"

"Unless you know some secret way of stealing the bird, I'm afraid not," he said, shaking his head. "I'm told it's protected by magic."

Regina nodded.

"It is," she whispered. "The golden cage that it's kept in is enchanted. If you try to remove it … well, let's just say you won't make it out of the castle alive. But I can tell you exactly where to find the key. Just sneak in at night and take the bird out, put it in another cage, and get out of there before anyone sees you."

He stared at her, wide-eyed.

"You live in the castle?" he stammered.

She shrugged and gave a vague nod.

"Are you a servant, or …"

"You could say that," she said with a dark chuckle. "Most of the time I play nursemaid to the spoiled brat of a Princess."

"Is she a brat? I've heard Princess Snow is –"

"What you've heard is nothing but false flattery," Regina cut in. "I've never met someone so selfish, except maybe the King. Consider this my personal way of getting back at them."

Robin blinked in astonishment at the bitterness in her voice. Her brow was furrowed, and she glared down at her drink. He had heard so many good things about the King and Princess, but coming from someone who had actually met them … well, there was no faking that kind of hatred.

"What could they have done, to deserve such anger?" Robin wondered aloud.

"That doesn't matter," Regina said. "Do you want my help, or not?"

"Of course," said Robin.

"Okay, then. The King keeps the key in his bedchamber, hanging above his bed. He's away right now – he and Snow White won't be back until the day after tomorrow – and he left it behind. I can slip a sleeping draught to the guards, so you'll have no trouble getting in. Just do what I told you, and you'll be fine."

He looked into her eyes.

"All right. Thank you."

"I should go," she said, standing abruptly. "I don't think they'll have missed me yet, but I need to get back before they do."

"Will I see you again?" he asked, taking hold of her hand.

She paused, and for a moment he thought she was going to say no. But then a smile formed on her lips.

"I'd like that," she said. "Meet me back here once you've freed your friend."

He grinned as he watched her disappear into the night. The heavy burden he had been carrying around on his shoulders felt suddenly lighter. He had a way of saving Little John now; all he had to do was steal the bird, and Regina had made that easy for him. And as for her, this mysterious, beautiful, angry woman – he would see her again. And once he wasn't scrambling to save his friend's life, who knew what might happen?

Author's Note: I've taken quite a few liberties with the actual fairy tale. The biggest one is probably that Robin is a thief, not a Prince, and was caught trying to steal the golden apples himself instead of catching the bird trying to do it. There's also a talking fox in the original who gives him instructions on how to steal the bird, but I gave that role to Regina instead – the Princess in "The Golden Bird" doesn't show up until near the end and is pretty much just a prize to be won, but of course I wasn't going to do that, so Regina will be part of the story all the way through.