[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]

[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.

[pettythief]

Because I never actually attacked you. [ Pointed head tilt here. ]

[ultimateleatherarmour]

And if I'd made the wrong move without distracting you first, you would have, I'm sure.

[pettythief]

Well, we'll never know now, will we?

[ultimateleatherarmour]

I'm not leaving without what's mine.

[Even if those things aren't actually that important. It's the principle of the thing.]

[pettythief]

You're welcome to try and get it back...

Robin, don't be stupid. It's getting dark and we aren't the only ones on these roads.

[ That would be Little John, making his was down the semi-beaten path. Robin sighs. ]

[ultimateleatherarmour]

[James automatically looks to the sky and sighs as well when he realises John is right; there's no time to make it to the next town. Even if he left now, he would have to camp in the forest anyway. But he doesn't plan to leave.]

Then what do you suggest?

[It's directed at John more than Robin this time.]