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[thiefwithhonor]

Robin had known something was amiss the moment he awoke. Still, his grogginess made him brush it off for the moment, and he sleepily moved to sit up in bed, careful not to jostle Regina beside him, as it was clear she was still asleep. He was about to rub his eyes when he stopped short, noticing the color of his skin.

He had not been living outside since he came to this place, but there was no reason he ought to be so deathly pale. He looked at his other arm and found it to be the same color. He stood almost immediately, thinking he would go to the mirror to see if his face was pale as well, only to stop short when he dropped his hands to his sides and found the small movement caused a rush of something to burst forth from him. It took him a moment to realize he had just managed to somehow cover his wall with something that looked very much like -

"Ice?" he exhaled, stunned, as he stared at the patch on the wall that he had apparently just made out of thin air. He had no idea what he had just done or how he had done it, but he immediately stopped moving, feeling his heartbeat quickening. Whatever he had done, he was worried moving would cause it to happen again.

"Regina?" he called out as loud as he could muster without feeling as though he would wake Roland. He hoped she would stir at his voice - he certainly was not going to attempt to shake her with what he had just seen happen. His voice edging with something akin to panic, he tried again. "Please, wake up."

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[thiefwithhonor]

Robin had hoped Roland would take it well. He trusted Regina, even though he was sure the boy wouldn't understand completely. Still, with no end to this in sight, he had to fight the worry and the what ifs that came along with whatever was happening.

He glanced up at the last of the falling snowflakes from his previous bout of loss of control, and he found himself reminded of a time not long ago, on the boardwalk outside. There was a woman, wasn't there? One that had shown Roland magic that allowed her to make snow -

His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. Regina had returned, and her words were a relief to hear.

"Thank you," he said, earnestly. What she offered after, however, immediately concerned him. While she could certainly control it better than he, whatever was in him was powerful. It would surely be too much. "I could not ask that of you. it's too dangerous, and I would not have you hurt because of me. If you can help me learn to control this, I think I may know of someone to speak to."

Robin hesitated then, feeling as though he was unjustly suggesting she had something to do with this. It seemed so unlikely for many reasons. Still, he knew it was important to mention. "The snow reminded me - Roland and I came across a woman who could make it with magic the first day we were here. She hadn't made ice when she showed Roland to cheer him up, but - perhaps it was something she just did not show. I admit I have my doubts she's involved as I have not seen her since we met. Still I think I should find and speak to her."

A feat that didn't seem possible just yet, considering the state of the room was looking more and more like it was made of ice. The mere idea of leaving made him uneasy, but if he could even gain a fraction of understanding how it worked, he might not feel like such a danger to himself and others. It seemed like the magic fed off that fear in particular.

"Please, before we try anything else, try to teach me," he said, hoping she understood why he was so adamant about her not doing anything that might put her in jeopardy. "It is your words to me before that are keeping me together now. I think I can do this."

[gloriouscurse]

Trying to fix the problem by taking it away was partly her own fear for him shining through, and partly wanting him to be okay, but she took a breath knowing she couldn't let her own panic override better judgment. It was what he said at the end that made her realize that for the first time in her life someone consistently believed in her. He believed in her during the fight with Zelena, he believed in her to use light magic, and he believed in her now. "I'm not used to this, you know," she said, looking down for a second and letting out that breath she'd been holding. "I'm getting used to you having confidence in me." She gave him a lopsided smile then straightened, knowing this was no time, really, for sentimentality.

"Just like I said before, controlling magic is about emotion. When I used mine in anger I thought of terrible things, but to use light magic, it takes happiness. And there's nothing to say that this magic can't be controlled the same way." Walking close to him again, she held his hand in hers.

"If it feels like it might happen out of your control, think of moments that have brought you more joy than you ever thought possible. Moments that make you the happiest you've ever been."

What he said about the woman he'd met didn't go unnoticed. "Do you remember the woman's name? The person you met? Even if she didn't do this, she could be more of a help than I am."

[thiefwithhonor]

Robin offered a small smile back at her, glad she had relented on the idea of trying to take it all on herself. He would not have allowed it no matter what, but an argument was the last thing he needed right then, if emotions were key. Still, it did mean it was all up to him. If he did not want to remain in the room forever, he was going to need to allow himself to trust he could be near her without harming her. That he could be around anyone.

It helped he was certainly not without happy memories to pull from. He grasped her hand gently within his, not pulling away this time. He had never faced such a thing before, but he would not it take him over.

"So the fact the first time I calmed was because of you makes sense, then," he said, both because it was true and because he felt commenting on it might get a smile out of her. She was trying not to look it, but he knew she was worried. He could not blame her. "The woman's name was Elsa. She was...very kind to Roland and I. I don't know where she resides, only that she has a sister here as well, and comes from a land I have never heard of before."

[gloriouscurse]

Regina looked at him with an almost awed expression on her face at his words, her features going soft as she did indeed smile. She raised his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles before listening to what he had to say. "I'll do my best to find her," Regina promised. "How many 'Elsa's can there be?"

Gently she turned him to the wall across from them. "To understand this and how it works, you have to use it, Robin. You have a target, that wall." Raising his hand, she kept hers under his wrist. "To control it, think of your happiness, and where you want the ice to hit," she instructed softly.

[thiefwithhonor]

"Let us hope not many," he said, watching her. It would be a lie to say he did not feel some apprehension, but he was doing as she told him - to focus on the good, to trust it would be enough.

And despite her moving his hand, which had seemed to be the cause of the ice before, nothing seemed to happen. It was enough of an improvement that the idea of purposely attempting to use the magic did not make him immediately start to worry.

Perhaps he could do this.

At the very least, focusing on a target was something he knew how to do. It was strange calling upon his knowledge of shooting an arrow for this, but the familiarity was something he would not complain about. As for his good thought - he was hard pressed to think of anything happier than his son's birth, and he let those emotions flow over him.

It was not ice that came from him, but a wispy beam of snow and frost. It swirled in a small, easy arc as it splashed against the wall. When the snow settled, an almost beautiful pattern of frost remained stuck to where he had focused the magic.

He let out a breath he had not even realized he was holding, eyes widening as he glanced at Regina, awaiting her own reaction.

[gloriouscurse]

She couldn't help it; she was smiling triumphantly and turned it toward him. "See? You can control it. I knew you could." Pressing a soft kiss to his cheek in encouragement, she let go of his wrist this time. "See if you can do it again."

For Regina, as she'd learned there'd been no 'positive' reinforcement. She was stupid, slow, or useless as she'd been learning from the Dark One. True, she'd not been the most patient of teachers with Emma, but then, she didn't care as deeply for the Savior.

"You can do it," Regina said softly as she stepped back, folding her arms across her chest.

[thiefwithhonor]

Though the loss of her complete guidance made Robin a little more wary, he forced himself to keep remembering the fact that he could, if he concentrated enough, do what he had just witnessed. That had all been him, and that hadn't been dangerous in itself. Even if he was not sure if he would feel okay around Roland with whatever was happening, the idea that he could at least not be constantly worried he was about to harm anyone around him immediately was a step in the right direction.

He took a deep, calming breath.

"When Elsa showed Roland her power, she did a gesture," he said, mostly to himself. If there were any way to prove that this...ability was somehow connected to the woman he had met, it would be him being able to do what she had done for them.

It was worth a try, at least.

Holding his palm up, he thought of how happy the snow had made his son, the bright smile that had appeared on his face. She had done a gesture, one that he tried to recreate by memory, the soft movement of her hand. He was surprised to find a bit of snow appearing where none had been before the moment he did it and tried to will it into being. It certainly wasn't anywhere near the volume she had created, but it had a similar effect of cascading down gently when he tossed it up. As he watched the snowflakes fall between he and Regina, it was hard to deny the possibility.

"...It is as she showed us," he said, his eyebrows furrowing. He refused to believe such a thing was on purpose, not with how she had been with them that day. Still, if she could help him further - being okay enough to try to look for her seemed a goal he needed to focus on now.

[gloriouscurse]

Regina was left frowning deeply. If what Elsa had done matched this exactly, then why? What reason would she have had to do this to him? He'd said nothing about her antagonizing him or Roland, no mention of ill intent. "Maybe she...transferred power to you and didn't know it, didn't mean to." She'd heard of rare instances like that, and it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

Sighing softly, she watched the rest of the snow fall, then looked up at him. "I really don't want to leave until I know you'll be okay. What if you do something to yourself?"

[thiefwithhonor]

"I cannot imagine any scenario but an accident," he said with a shake of his head, firm. He would not jump to conclusions. He usually was able to read people well, and she had not come off as someone would would seek to harm anyone on purpose. "And even if it was, why now? I have not seen her since I came here."

Surely it would have happened sooner even if it had been intentional. It didn't make sense at all to him. Regina even seemed unsure, which made it feel like it was even less likely. But if not that, what was happening?

"I think as long as I stay calm, I'll be alright," he assured, shaking his head. He understood her concern and admittedly was worried himself, but something had to be done. He would simply have to continue what was already working. "Take Roland to get some breakfast. Perhaps you can ask around, see if anyone knows her or has heard anything about what's happening."

He had a bit of a sad smile as he continued, "I only wish I could accompany you both, but I don't quite think I make good company at the moment."

[gloriouscurse]

She didn't hesitate then and leaned in to kiss him softly, a tender press of her lips to his. "There has to be a list of names somewhere, of who lives in which buildings. I'll find her." With another kiss, Regina pulled away from him reluctantly. "Can I bring anything else for you? Do you need anything?"

It was stalling, she knew, but she couldn't help it, that tug of fear that everything good would always be destroyed somehow. She really didn't want to let him out of her sight.

[thiefwithhonor]

Robin cupped her cheek lightly with his palm when she pulled away, hoping it would bring some comfort to her.

"I'm fine," he promised, not only to her question of if he needed something, but in general. It was a bit of a lie, as it was hard to be fine with any of this, but it felt like it needed to be said regardless. Like saying so would make it true. "I'll be here when you both return."

[gloriouscurse]

"Two hours and we'll be back," Regina promised before opening the door. With one more look back at him, she closed it behind her, thinking it would be harder for Roland to see him on their way out if she left it open. Fielding questions from the boy, she answered them as gently as she could, and settled on Robin simply not feeling very well. Which was technically true; he wasn't well. Yet. But if they could figure out a way for him to control it better if it was magic to be lived with, then everything would be fine.

It was what she was telling herself as they finally left, hand in hand.