[event: flashback]

[clocktowering]

Once upon a time, the people of Storybrooke were once the characters from the fairy tales we all grew up with. Then the curse hit and everyone was trapped without their memories in the town we know quite well already.

We all know that story, of course, but what about before the curse? Well, that's where this post comes in. There are untold stories from before the curse that we would like to investigate and these flashbacks posts are where you tell them. Post with your character (with a location or plot idea if you wish) and tag others, as long as they are in their fairy tale forms (sorry Henry and Emma players >: ).

Remember, everyone, play nice and have fun.

Comments

[ultimateleatherarmour]

I am. Are you?

[That's the last thing James shoots back before he shortens the reins and leans ready in the saddle. The instant John calls the start he digs in his heels and the gelding surges forward, quick off the mark, but not at full speed. The course is long enough that James knows he'll have to harness some energy from the beginning for the final sprint.]

[pettythief]

[ For now, until they get past the first stretch, it's a contest of balance; maintaining their horses' energies while not falling too far behind from each other. Then comes the turn, and Robin whirls around, suddenly signalling for Penelope to push forward, and she does with surprising responsiveness. They're off. ]

[ultimateleatherarmour]

[James and his gelding quickly follow, just a touch slower but as sharp on the turn. And this is when he gives his gelding his head, because a warhorse he might not be, but he was a runner. Philip always said that if one was to travel, having a fast horse with a great heart was most important.

[So the prince lengthens the reins and gives his gelding all he needs, keeping low over his back and his hands encouraging on his neck. They don't know the area as well as Robin, don't know where the path curves and which branches lay low across it, but they've got speed and they catch up the distance lost.]

[pettythief]

[ Robin side-eyes the overtaking team, shifting his own mare to try and block them off from the path. James's horse had an impressive amount of speed in its legs, but Penelope had seen battle and come out both whole and healthy. She had strength and stamina to make up for the energy the prince was burning now, even if the odds of them being passed up increase with each heartbeat.

No matter what happens, Robin realizes with an unconscious grin, the two of them are matched. Previous contests had them at opposite ends of the spectrum, but here, their individual strengths could end up with either one of them coming out the winner. It's exhilarating. ]

[ultimateleatherarmour]

[The path is narrow enough there that James has to rein his horse back in to avoid the collision, but the instant there's room again they shoot forward to overtake Robin. It isn't a giant lead, but the trees are thinning, and if they can just keep it long enough ...

[James's gelding is tiring, but he whispers to him, strokes his neck, nudges him with his heels. The horse's ears flick back and he puts in every reserve he had in response to the encouragement.]

[pettythief]

[ He sees the edge of the forest approaching in the way the light shines through, how the foliage gets brighter and easier to traverse. James is slowing down and Robin takes the chance, urging Penelope on within the last stretch, only to catch up, only to pass him, even by just a nose— ]

[ultimateleatherarmour]

[Oh no you don't--! James urges his horse on and the gelding responds with one last surge of speed, just for him. It brings the prince and the outlaw even again as the edge of the forest approaches, and James is too busy trying to get just that little bit of extra speed to even try to judge where they are against each other as they burst out from the woods into the field.]

[pettythief]

[ Once past the finish line, Penelope slows at the touch of her master, rearing gently to turn herself around and face the forest once again. She's panting with exertion, matching Robin's lighter yet still haggard breathing. He still seems quite pleased with the race, even if he couldn't tell which of them pulled through first. He sucks in a breath and calls to the man hiding along the tree line. ]

Who was it, good man?

Well, Robin... uh, you see...

[ Robin's eyes narrow. That doesn't sound very good. ]

[ultimateleatherarmour]

[James pulls his gelding to a halt more slowly, circling around until he's back with the others to give the gelding a chance to cool down. As a result he doesn't hear the immediate answer, and is catching his breath, sitting up and eager as he looks toward the outlaw half in the trees.]

Well? Who won?

[pettythief]

It was a tie.

... Come again?

[ultimateleatherarmour]

[James blinks. He has to admit, of all the outcomes, a draw wasn't something that figured into things.]

What else is there for us to do to break a draw in three contests?

[pettythief]

I... I don't know. Robin, do you—Robin?

[ Sorry, James, but Robin has begun to laugh to himself, shaking his head. It's not entirely from amusement; plenty of disbelief is borne in the tone. ]

We tied.

[ultimateleatherarmour]

[James throws a partly amused but mostly deadpan look over at him.]

You sound surprised. I think I should be insulted.

[pettythief]

Only my men have ever beaten me.

[ Whereas a royal has no place among Robin's men. What is he supposed to do about it now? (All right, all right, he's been beaten by others before, but never without still holding an ace in the hole by the end — with a tie, he's not sure he has even that much.) ]

Since it was a tie, what say we call it a split?

[ultimateleatherarmour]

Isn't that how they became your men?

[More deadpan looks. Really, Robin, they can't have been your men always.]

What sort of split?

[pettythief]

Exactly my point.

[ ... it makes sense to him, okay? ]

We keep what we've already acquired. You get to keep your horse and your personal belongings, along with a warning about returning to the forest in case you want to get hijacked again.

[ultimateleatherarmour]

Oh, no. I'm not leaving until I have what's mine. We'll just have to think of something else to break the draw.

[He is not letting thieves win okay. =| Even a partial win.]

[pettythief]

Or... you could notice that you're outnumbered, your horse is tired out and you'd have to come to us to retrieve your things.

[ That's the thing about thieves, James: they don't mind cheating. ]

[ultimateleatherarmour]

[Yes, well, James is stubborn when it comes to thieves okay. =|]

I've come this far, and if you'd wanted to kill me by now you would have. I'm not walking away now just because of a draw.

[pettythief]

[ Robin scoffs. ]

I didn't say anything about killing you. There are other things you can do with a bow and arrow. I think it's quite a fair deal.

[ultimateleatherarmour]

And there are a great many things I can do with a sword. Your point?

[pettythief]

My point is that your... point wouldn't reach us before we shot you down.

[ultimateleatherarmour]

And yet I'm not the one with a gash in his arm.

[pettythief]

Because you tossed a knife at me. Not quite the same as a sword.

[ultimateleatherarmour]

It's similar enough, and I think my point has been made. I'm not the one who's bleeding.