Olivia loved the forest and oddly enough, it loved her back.
The forest had a draw on Olivia unlike anything else. Even just after her little legs had barely learnt to stand firmly on the earth below her, had she ventured into the golden depths of the Sherwood Forest. Robin could no longer keep count of the amount of times he'd had to retrieve his daughter from the forest he had explicitly forbidden both his children from wandering off into.
It thus did not come as a surprise that he found his daughter in the forest once again. The girl, five years of age now, had managed to sneak from under her parents' watchful eye once again to sneak out towards her best friend: the forest.

Robin had become used to retrieving his daughter from the forest, but he didn't think he'd ever get used to the sight of his little girl dancing around the forest as if it were her playground, as if the dangerous animals that lived there were nothing but her playmates. He'd never stop getting surprised by the scenes that his daughter played out in front of him:

Olivia stood in the middle of a clearing, barefooted and still dressed in her white, ruffled sleeping gown. Her ebony hair was just starting to grow out again after he'd had to cut it off not so long ago. The girl had one day arrived back from a stroll in the forest with her hair so hopelessly tangled that there was really no other option than to cut off a good portion of it. Her skin shone in the late summery sun, the freckles that popped up at the slightest touch of sunshine adorning her face in little speckles.

Olivia, a small girl as she was, looked impossibly frail and vulnerable standing in front of the imposing stag that she was eying curiously. It was a proud animal, fully grown with imposingly curved antlers and intelligent brown eyes. Robin wouldn't have hesitated shooting the animal if it hadn't been for his little girl stretching out her hand and allowing the animal to sniff it. Robin halted his silent gait and lowered his bow, eyeing the interaction between the animal and his daughter curiously, yet cautiously. Olivia giggled, a soft, melodious sound as she brought up her other hand and slung her arms around the animal in a slightly clumsy but well-meant hug. The animal simply stood still and allowed it to happen. His daughter snuggled her face into the stag's prickly hairs and mumbled something Robin could not hear.
After she let the animal go she turned around with a happy prancing and giggled, before she suddenly stood still and stared right into his direction for a while.

"Daddy!" She suddenly exclaimed, causing the stag to startle and jump away, the magical moment between the girl and the animal broken. Her little legs carried her to her father quickly and she grinned broadly. "You see the 'orse?"
"That wasn't a horse, baby, that was a stag." Corrected Robin, trying to keep the astonishment from his voice. He then remembered his reason for coming and quickly squatted to face level with his daughter, putting on what Olivia called his 'daddy-face'. "Olivia, remember what I told you? No going in the forest without me or your mommy. It can be dangerous."
Olivia pouted. "Is not. It's my friend."
"Olivia, I want you to promise me that you won't go into the forest again without asking, okay baby?"
His daughter pouted again and shuffled her feet, dragging out answering as long as possible. Robin lifted her chin up for her eyes to meet his and finally Olivia nodded, albeit reluctantly.
"Promise." She said, only to follow up her words with an excited grin as she jumped away from her father. "Wanna see a trick?"

Before Robin could reply his girl had taken a small rock and folded her hand around it. When she opened it, a butterfly flew away; it's wings as black and shining as the rock had been.
His daughter's magic was another thing that Robin would never get used to.

She had half a mind to be thankful of Robin holding her hair back while she retched, her body expelling the already meagre breakfast that she'd managed to get down that morning. She'd been blessed with little to no nausea during her pregnancy with Olivia and apparently the universe was compensating for it now. She had been feeling sick, retching up her breakfast nearly every day, for close to two months. It was starting to wear down on her body and mind. She sagged back against Robin and closed her eyes firmly to prevent the world from turning in front of her eyes, held her breath to keep out the sourly smell of what had once been her breakfast.
"Oh honey." Robin pressed a kiss to the back of her head as he stroked his fingers through her hair. "It's not getting better is it?" He sighed. Regina shook her head and let out a shaky breath.

"I didn't even get to finish the story." Regina felt her voice break alarmingly quick and before she could stop it she was sniffling. "Olivia will be wondering what happened to the prince and the flower and Roland…"
"They will be fine." Interrupted Robin calmly, taking his wife's hand and carefully lifting her up from the ground she'd been kneeling on. She had been reading a story that she remembered from the palace maids to Olivia and Roland, but the nausea had risen up and forced her to run from the tent, leaving Robin behind with the two confused children.
Regina swayed as she stood up and Robin quickly pulled her towards him to steady her.
"Olivia, she will wander off." Regina said weakly, but Robin pressed another kiss to the back of her head and procured a leather satchel of water. "I told little John to keep an eye on them. Drink something, it will help."

It did. The cool water of the Sherwood forest seemed somehow imbedded with the magic that lingered in the shade of golden leaves. As she drank the cool water, slightly leathery in taste coming from the satchel, Regina felt some of the strength return to her body. She sighed in relief as the nausea subsided and gave a thankful smile to her husband, who proceeded to lead her back to the encampment.

"I didn't get sick at all with Olivia." Regina muttered, confused and perhaps more than a bit resentful.
"Perhaps it's a boy then." Robin reasoned, earning him a questioning look from Regina. "Marian was sick for months with Roland." He explained. Regina sighed. She certainly hoped her horrible nausea wouldn't last the entire pregnancy.
"I will ask the medicine woman to cut up some Ravensroot for you, that helped didn't it?"
Regina smiled softly at her husband's suggestion. The roots tasted horrible, but they'd helped her keep her breakfast down just fine. "I would like that. Thank you."
"Anything I can do to help, you know that." Robin squeezed her hand and led her through the encampment back to their tent.

"Mommy!" A brightly smiling Olivia greeted them. "Will you finis the stohry?"
Regina laughed, the memory of her nausea forgotten and lifted the little girl up in her arms, walking her back towards nine year old Roland, who was waiting for her to continue the story as well (even though he pretended he wasn't). As she sat down and continued the story she imagined another little boy or girl joining her beautiful family.

The thought of it was better than any medicine.

"What's her name?!" Shrieked Olivia as she nearly stumbled over her legs running into the tent. Roland was behind her and apparently found that at almost nine years old was too cool to be as excited as his little sister, though Regina could tell he could hardly keep himself from acting the same way.
"His name you mean." Corrected Regina, tapping the tip of her daughter's nose as when she reached the bed. "You have a little brother."
Olivia pouted. "But I asked for a sister."
"I know honey, but brothers are fun too, aren't they?" Robin swept up his daughter in his arms, the little girl bursting out in a fit of giggles in response. "Remember when Roland thought you to fire arrows the other day?" He turned towards his son and tried to form a scolding from. "When I told him specifically not to."
Roland at least had the courtesy to look mildly ashamed, but Robin was too muddled by the birth of his new son that he really couldn't bring himself to muster any anger at his eldest.

"What's his naaammeee?!" Repeated Olivia impatiently, struggling free of her father's hold and falling down on the bed with a force that would have been painful to any child but her. It seized Regina's heart every time she saw it, but Olivia seemed completely ignorant of the fear her tricks struck into her parents' hearts. "I want to know his name!"
"Olivia have some patience." Scolded Regina. Olivia scrunched her nose in an expression of distaste at the word. Robin chuckled and sat down on the bed next to Regina, gathering his daughter in his arms again while Roland made himself comfortable on the other side of the bed.

"His name is Ivan." Said Regina, gazing down in wonder at the beautiful baby with bright blue eyes and plucky brown hair that she suspected would grow out much like Roland's. They had considered naming the baby 'Henry', after her father who had parted from them near a year before, but had decided when they'd first laid eyes upon the baby that there was another name that suited him far better.
"Ivan." Olivia pondered, frowning as if she had deep knowledge about the name.
"It's beautiful mom, dad." Said Roland determinedly, earning himself a hug and a kiss on the head from Regina.
"It's beautiful!" mimicked Olivia, eager to get the same attention her brother was receiving. Robin chuckled and pressed a kiss to his daughter's head. "Almost as pretty as you, my dear."
"And as pretty as mommy!" Olivia said with a grin.

Regina hardly figured she looked the best she ever had. Though Ivan's birth had been far quicker and at least a bit easier than Olivia's had been, she was still worn out, tired and sweaty all over. Robin, however, simply nuzzled his face into his daughter's hair and clasped his hand tightly around hers.
"Almost as pretty as your mother."

She had always figured it would be Robin who taught her children how to shoot a bow. It was thus with a mild surprise that she noticed Roland teaching her eight-year old daughter to steady her arm and draw back the string to make the arrows cut through air with ease. Roland was a natural with the bow, not a surprise given both his parent's prowess with the weapon. The sight of her daughter biting her lip in concentration as she pulled back the strong warmed her heart. She'd never gotten to master the arts of archery, but the thought of her daughter being able to protect herself was comforting.

"I thought that archery was going to be my job." She turned when she heard Robin's voice, giving him a small smile and turning towards her son who was toddling behind his father and eying them curiously with his bright blue eyes. Around Olivia one didn't have to mind their words as much. Olivia was often too busy with her own thoughts and wonders to notice anything as dull as the conversation between her parents, but even as small as he was, Ivan caught every word spoken between them. Regina mussed his brown, plucky hair when he reached her.
"Can I do ar- ars- arch-" Ivan pouted. "Shooting bows too?"
"Archery." Enunciated Robin, tapping his son on the nose. "And you shoot the arrows, not the bow."
Regina hummed. "I understand why Olivia prefers Roland to teach her. Who cares about those pesky details?" She flashed a smile and turned to watch their children warring with their bows and arrows again. She couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter stomping the ground in frustration when her arrow hit only the edge of the target. Her daughter was already more proficient than she herself was with a bow, but apparently was not content with just hitting the target. Roland chuckled and instructed his sister something that Regina didn't catch. Her daughters face lit up and she quickly grabbed another arrow. Regina pursed her lips. "Perhaps I should ask Roland to teach me too. He seems a good teacher."
Robin let out a throaty chuckle and placed his hand on her backside, tugging her to him gently and pressing his lips to hers in a soft kiss. "You city folk just don't have it in you to master the bow. It's not my fault." He teased. Regina laughed and swatted his hands away.
"That just cost you a week –"
"Momma is not a city folk." Ivan's tiny voice peaked. Robin laughed and lifted the frowning boy up in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of his son's head and flashed Regina a smile.
"You're right, baby, she's not."

"I swear if one of them falls off…" Robin eyed the horses with as much distrust as he would a wild cat stalking towards him. His wife being around horses had always made him nervous and he had secretly prayed for his children to inherit her distrust of the animals from him. He'd had no such luck.
"Nothing will happen to them." Soothed Regina, placing a hand on his arm and squeezing softly. She glanced at him and a small, teasing smile graced her lips. "Besides, if you allow our children play with weapons, I think they can also ride horses."
Robin pouted. "Weapons don't startle and run away."
"Rocinatne doesn't startle. She's too old for that." Snorted Regina. It was true. Their youngest was eight years old, sitting on Rocinante's back with a timid smile while his sister was behind him, smile so dazzling that it lit up the forest. Rocinatne had taught both Roland and Olivia to ride and now carried around a nervous but excited Ivan.
"River is not." Robin nodded to the mare Roland was seated on. The boy was taller than Regina now and almost as proficient with horses as she was. River was walking calmly while Roland seemed to be giving instructions to his siblings.
"Yes, she looks like she's about to bolt any time." Deadpanned Regina. When she felt that Robin didn't relax she leant against him and gave a smile. "Hey, nothing will happen, okay? I promise." She pursed her lips and raised one eyebrow. "Besides, I seem to remember you rode a horse quite successfully at least once."
Her husband gave cocky smile. "I would have you know that that in itself was already risking my life. I thought getting on that horse was rather brave of me."
Regina laughed. "You're so full of it!" She softened and sighed. "But I love you."
Robin hummed. "I love you too. Even if you're endangering our children."
Regina slapped his arm in response, mirth shining in her eyes.

"I'm going grey." The flair of drama in Robin's voice was hard to miss. He was seated in front of their mirror, plucking at what she assumed were grey hairs. Regina let out a soft chuckle and placed her hands on his shoulders, gazing down at the crown of his head.
"Yes, terribly so." She said with a slight smirk, plucking out a single grey hair. Robin winched slightly as she pulled out the hair and caught her hand, bringing it in front of him and tracing his fingers over the back of her hand. He turned his gaze up to see her in the mirror behind him.

"Regina, you're so beautiful." He croaked, squeezing her hand. Regina sighed and lowered herself to sit next to him.
"What is it, Robin?"
Robin swallowed. "I was twice your age when I married you."
"So you were."
"Doesn't that bother you?" He asked, his eyes flicking from his own face in the mirror toward his wife's. Regina smiled slightly and shook her head.
"Not anymore."

Robin gave a small smile and squeezed her hand, but his mind was clearly still preoccupied.
"Robin, what are you thinking about?" Regina asked gently.
Robin sighed. "I'm getting old… Older, Regina. And you're still… you're still so beautiful and young and I don't want-"
"Shhh." Regina shushed him, bringing her arms around him and lifting him up, guiding him away from the mirror. "I don't care how old you are." She leant towards him and kissed him softly. "I love you. Grey hairs and all." She kissed him again, longer now, deeper. "And I kind of like the grey hair to be honest."
"You're just saying that to make me feel better." Robin muttered, but all other words were swallowed as his wife crashed her lips against his, intent on proving that she was still very much interested In her husband.

She cried when Olivia got married. Robin thought she was still too young to commit to something so big for life, but Olivia was never one to be held back by opinions when something really mattered to her. She was nineteen years old, two years older than her mother had been in marriage and when the girl that brought that up in the argument about her decision to get married, the silence had been deafening.

Robin had eventually relented and grudgingly given permission to his little girl to get married. Regina felt his hand clench tightly around hers as they watched their daughter take the walk towards the downpour of water. Olivia looked positively stunning and more clean and sophisticated than Regina had ever seen her. Her daughter abhorred dresses and rarely ever wore them, but Regina knew her daughter had fallen in love with the dress the first moment she'd put it on. It was a beautiful dress: short and slim fitting at the top and wavering out at the bottom. The dress appeared plain white to the unassuming eye, but with every wave of the fabric in the morning sun a rainbow of colors gleamed on the fabric, as if the rainbow itself was trapped in the confines of the dress. Olivia's hair was falling over her shoulders in long waves, not a single pin to model it in shape. It was a rare occurrence for Olivia to show of the curling of her long, ebony hair. Usually It would be forced to stay cooped up in a braid or a ponytail as to not get it caught on the branches in the forest.

Her daughter looked nervous and it was perhaps one of the few times Regina had seen her daughter like that. Olivia was rarely ever nervous and when she was mostly tended to cover it up with her brashness and the wildness housed in her soul. Now, however, there was no challenge in her daughter's eyes, no mouth already bracing to retaliate, no body rigid and ready to spring up at the slightest confrontation. Her daughter looked positively radiant and even though she seemed nervous, paradoxically, for the first time in her life she also seemed calm. Regina swallowed as she watched her daughter take the old, tattered but still shining golden bowl and fill it with the clear water from the waterfall. It was the same thing Robin had done for her at their marriage ceremony and she swallowed thickly at the thought, getting only a moment to sink back into the depths of her memory before the music swelled and her daughter's soon-to-be wife strided past them with much more confidence and elegance than Regina had in her position.

Robin had been surprised. Women marrying women was not a common practice in the Sherwood Forest, yet he had not been opposed to the idea. Regina remembered the rigid rules in the royal halls, where marriage was something to be conducted between man and woman only. Olivia had not been bothered by the rules of either society, had simply announced to her parents that she was engaged to a woman and would get married to her wherever they would allow her to. Regina had smiled at that, the fire burning alight in her daughter's soul never ceasing to amaze her.

Regina understood why her daughter had fallen for the woman that was now waiting to become her wife. She was a stunning beauty with tanned skin and ebony hair falling down her shoulders in waves, eyes shining brightly with challenge and adventure. Regina remembered well the first time her daughter had brought the woman to camp. She had all but demanded that the exotic gypsy she had picked up somewhere along her travels be granted shelter. Regina hadn't asked, but later Esmeralda had told her nonetheless; about her love for freedom and passion and how it got her hunted by the rigid society she'd grown up in. Regina had quickly grown fond of the girl and it had not taken her long to notice her daughter had as well.

Regina grasped Robin's hand tightly as she watched her daughter perform the same actions that her father had all those years ago; but instead of a gentle, careful kiss on the face Olivia and her new wife shared a kiss that seemed a bit too heated for her parents to see. Regina glanced at Robin and saw the glistening in his eyes, she squeezed his hand and leant her head on his shoulder, sighing as she watched Roland step forward to congratulate his sister and welcome her new wife into the Sherwood Forest. Robin had granted the leadership of the Sherwood forest to his son, now a man of almost twenty-three and wiser than his father had been at that age. Roland had himself married a fierce, red-headed archer princess from the northern kingdom and had pledged to stay in the Sherwood forest. When Regina had asked Olivia where she was going to go, her daughter had simply smirked and told her; 'onwards'.

Regina blinked against the tears welling up at the thought. Olivia was often gone and it had always been clear that she was never going to be tethered down in the forest she'd grown up in, yet the thought of her daughter who was but a little baby such a short while ago spreading her wings and flying away was still hard to fathom. She heard a soft chuckle behind her and turned to Robin, who was pointing at one of the trees not far from them. Regina frowned but quickly noticed what he was talking about: the two familiar blue eyes of her fourteen year old son as he hid himself in the golden canopy of the treetops. Ivan loved climbing trees, loved watching in silence from the treetops and watching everything beneath him shrink. The members of the tribe had taken to calling the boy 'Sparrow' because he reminded them of the inquisitive, daring birds that tried to steal food often around camp. She laughed through her tears, glad that her youngest wouldn't leave the nest for at least a few years yet.

Robin wrapped her hands around her and leant his chin on the top of her head. Regina let out a soft laugh laced with emotion. "This feels both like the beginning and the end of a story."
"It is." Robin confirmed, finding her hand and squeezing it. "Everything is."

This is it, the end of this story. It's a little hard to let this one go, because I've had such a blast writing it. Your response has been wonderful and overwhelming and has made me so very happy, so THANK YOU so, so much for that. It means so much to me that you liked this story. I'm considering writing a series of oneshots set in this universe, so I'm taking prompts for those. They can be set anymore during or after this story. You can leave a prompt in the reviews for a scene you'd like to see, or hit me up on my tumblr: villainandhero

this story has been great. I'd love some final reviews of what you thought of the story overall and of course this epilogue. I love you and thank you for reading.

xIris