Quiet giggles and broken shushes filled the hallway as a woman and a small child climbed onto a window ledge. "Shhh, you need to be quiet, dear. You don't want to get caught, do you?" He shook his head, his brown curls bouncing with the movement, and as he scooted onto her lap and rested his head on her shoulder, she pulled the curtain closed around them.
Roland lifted his head, smiling from ear to ear as he stared at Regina. "Do you think Papa will find us?" She thought for a moment, listening carefully to the currently empty hallway, and she shook her head, letting her smile grow.
"No, I think we're safe, but you have to be quiet." Roland nodded his head, covering his mouth as he giggled, and Regina couldn't hold back her soft chuckle. The boy's eyes grew big and he swiftly placed his other hand other her mouth. Regina widened her eyes, nodding her head when he shushed her before she pulled him closer to her body. He rested his head against her chest, wrapping his arm securely around her waist.
"Ready or not, here I come!" Both flinched at his loud voice, and Roland moved to cover their mouths again. His eyes stared straight into hers as they listened to Robin search the hallway. "You know, this really isn't fair. This castle is too big for such a game." Regina's eyes wrinkled with amusement and Roland pressed his hand harder against her mouth as a sudden seriousness flashed across his face. It only heightened her joy, but she fought back her laughter, nodding her head. Who knew Roland would be such a competitive soul when it came to a game of hide and seek?
After a few minutes, Robin left the hallway, allowing them to relax once more. Regina laughed softly, biting her lips when Roland glared at her. She'd seen that look before but on a much older Locksley. "Shush, Regina. Papa can hear for miles!" His eyes widened as he spoke before he braved a peek past the curtain. "He's gone. We can talk now." He returned his attention to her, smiling and giggling as he fidgeted in her lap. She adjusted, stretching her legs along the window ledge and letting him slip between them. Roland sighed, his attention drifting to the sunny weather outside.
Regina followed his gaze, smiling as she noticed Little John struggling to hide between a wall and a statue. She lifted a finger, pointing it out for Roland, who instantly started laughing. She watched the boy, smiling as memories of Henry flashed in her mind; she was surprised to find they didn't hurt in the moment as much as they had before, and when Roland looked at her again, her smile faltered and she pushed the memories to the back of her mind. He tilted his head, asking if she was alright. "I was thinking of Henry, but I'm alright." She ran her fingers through his curls before bringing him closer for a quick hug. After placing a soft kiss to her cheek and giving her a soft grin, he snuggled closer to her, pointing at a bird as it flew past the window, and as the sun warmed their skinned, she listened to him whisper about the interesting things outside, his fingers playing with the ends of her hair.
Robin narrowed his eyes, standing at the end of another hallway and staring at all the possible hiding places. He'd searched everywhere for them, had found each of his men already, and had begun to wonder if she was using her magic to keep herself and Roland hidden. He shook his head, turning away from the hallway and deciding he needed to start from the beginning. They couldn't have gone far, not without her magic, as he had followed Roland's giggles and the clicking of her heels until they'd disappeared. Robin stopped, smiling as he realized where they were. How had he not found them the first time? He shook his head, picking up his pace as he darted to the first hallway he'd searched hours ago.
When he reached his destination, his eyes traveled the area, stopping on the windows. Two out of three had curtains wide open, allowing the bright, warm sun to spill into the castle and at the realization, Robin smirked. How, indeed, had he missed this detail the first time? He approached the curtain on nimble feet, listening for any sounds. He smiled as he heard light, familiar humming, and he paused for a moment before flinging the curtain open. His breath caught at the sight before him, Roland curled against Regina with his face turned away from the sun and his fingers twirling her hair as he sang softly. Her arms wrapped loosely, yet protectively around him, holding him in place, and he smiled at the glow of sun lighting her sleeping features.
Roland's startled gasp stole his attention, and Robin chuckled at his wide-eyed excitement. "I found you!" Roland shushed him instantly, pulling back and glancing at Regina.
"Regina's sleeping, Papa. You gotta be quiet." Robin's mouth formed an 'o' as he nodded at his son. Roland sighed, sitting on his knees and placing his tiny hands on her cheeks as he checked on Regina. "We gotta put her to bed." Roland carefully untangled his body from her embrace, jumping off the window ledge and rubbing his eyes as he yawned.
Robin smiled as he ruffled his curls. "How do you suggest we do that?" Roland breathed out, placing a finger on his chin.
"Um," He looked up at his father, shrugging his shoulder. "Carry her?" Robin chuckled, mimicking his son's shoulder shrug. He kneeled down, leaning closely to Roland.
Whispering, he glanced at the still sleeping queen. "What if she doesn't want me to carry her?" Roland scrunched his mouth, snorting as frustration settled over his features. Robin bit back his smile, noticing his son's drowsiness.
"Do it anyway, Papa." Robin nodded, rising to his feet when Roland nudged him forward. "Hurry 'fore she wakes up." Roland watched as Robin stepped forward, leaning over Regina for a moment.
He breathed in steadily, tucking a loose lock of raven hair behind her ear before caressing her cheek. She stirred slightly, and he grinned at the scrunch of her nose and furrowed brows. "Roland says it's nap time, milady." She groaned, turning her face away from his hand and further into the sun's rays. Shaking his head, he moved closer, slipping an arm under her knees and around her back. "Come on, I'm not allowed to leave you here."
Roland backed his statement with a quiet, 'yup.', yawning as he started to walk down the hallway. Robin adjusted his grip on Regina, licking his lips and holding his breath when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, burying her face into the crook of his neck. "Hmm, you found us? 'bout time." She mumbled, letting loose a long sigh as sleep pulled her under once again. Robin closed his eyes, failing to fight the shiver traveling down his back. He shook his head, holding her tighter against him as he turned to face Roland.
"Come on, Papa," Roland whined, his upper half slumping toward the floor as his dangling arms swayed at his sides. Robin smirked, motioning for Roland to go ahead as he started to follow him.
When they reached the bottom of the staircase and Roland continued to walk past it, Robin called out to him, gaining his attention and motioning toward the stairs with his head. "Not our room. Regina's." Roland released his breath, causing his bangs to float away from his forehead before he reluctantly began climbing the steps.
Robin smirked, holding back his chuckle as he once again followed his son, but as his foot landed on the first stair, Regina shivered and curled in closer to his body, forcing him to re-adjust his hold. "Mmm, you're warm," She mumbled, rubbing the chilly tip of her nose against his neck and sending another shiver down his spine. With another impatient yell from Roland, he started walking again, hoping that Regina was deep enough in sleep she wouldn't move again.
Within the next few minutes, they had managed to climb the stairs and find her bed chambers. Luckily, she hadn't locked her door and Roland was able to open it enough to let them slip inside. "Can you pull her covers back?" Without much thought, Roland climbed onto the bed and did as his father asked. "Thank you. We don't want her to be cold, right?" Roland shook his head, yawning again as he watched his father lay Regina on the bed, but when Robin reached for the duvet, Roland jumped forward, wrapping his tiny hands around his wrist.
"No, Papa!" Robin furrowed his brow, relaxing his arm and waiting for Roland to continue. "No shoes on the bed, 'member?" Roland pointed toward Regina's boots, and Robin sighed, returning his eyes to Roland's.
"It's okay, Roland. I don't need to take her shoes off." Roland shook his head, irritability bringing forth the start of a tantrum.
"Yes, you do, Papa! She can't sleep with shoes! It's the rules!" He scooted to the end of the bed, reaching for the top of her knee high boots, and it was then that Robin noticed his son's sock covered feet. He looked to the floor, his shoulders dropping at the sight of Roland's small shoes. "You gotta take her shoes off!" He whined, failing to push her boot down her legs.
Robin quickly leaned forward, grabbing Roland's hands and guiding them away from Regina. "Okay, I'll take them off, but you need to stop whining." Roland sat back, crossing his arms over his chest and blinking rapidly to keep from falling asleep.
Robin pursed his lips, glancing at Regina, who remained clueless of the world, before placing his attention on the laces Roland had sloppily untied. He loosened them a bit more, placed one hand under her leather-clad knee and the other on the back of her heel, and gently pulled off the boot, sliding his hand down her leg to keep it from falling roughly back on to the bed. The corners of his lips lifted at the sight of dark polish marking her toes, but as he felt her shiver and roll onto her side, he pulled her sock free from her boot's hold and slipped it over her foot. Moving quickly, he repeated his actions, setting her shoes in the chair at her vanity.
When he turned to face the bed again, Roland had wound his body under the duvet and between Regina's chest and arms. His eyelids drooped heavily as a wide yawn broke past his lips. "Come take a nap, Papa." He awkwardly patted the space behind him before pulling his arms into the space between his body and Regina's.
Robin bit his lips, running a hand through his hair before taking a step closer to the bed. "Roland, I didn't," He stopped, his mouth hanging open with uncertainty. He hadn't meant for them to stay. "We have to go, my boy. We're not allowed to stay." Roland whined again, his voice muffled by Regina's chest, and as Robin reached to pull him away, her arms tightened around Roland.
"Shhh, it's okay." She kissed his forehead before settling back against her pillow and curling her body more securely around Roland's. Robin released a frustrated breath, realizing there was no separating them now.
Roland tilted his head, his eyes nearly closing. "Come on. 'Gina said 'kay." Robin frowned, knowing that was not her intentions and even if it had been, she wasn't fully awake. He couldn't take it as her permission, but Roland reached out a hand, his fingers flexing faintly for Robin to take. "Nap time, Papa." Robin sighed, feeling his morning and early afternoon of traveling the castle catching up to him, and he fought back a yawn as he battled his decision.
"I'll sleep in the chair." Roland shook his head, waving his hand to coax Robin onto the bed.
"I wanna nap with both," Being cut off by a yawn, Roland closed his eyes. "Please, Papa?" Robin closed his eyes briefly, relenting to his son's pleas, and climbed onto the bed, kicking out of his shoes in the process. He settled on the edge of the mattress, staying on top of the duvet as he watched Roland drift into dreamland to meet Regina, and he smiled at the sight of them. He could get used to it, and with that thought, sleep welcomed him as well.
Hours later, Snow and Belle climbed the stairs, searching for Regina. "I hope she's in a better mood today than she was yesterday. If she yanks one more book out of my hand," Belle trailed off, shaking her head and releasing an aggravated breath. Snow chuckled softly, stopping at the end of the hallway when she noticed Regina's door ajar.
"Well, we have better news today. I'm sure she'll react…Well, less aggressively," She spoke half-heartedly, pointing toward the door. "She never leaves her door open, even when I was a child it was always closed." Belle furrowed her brow, and both women cautiously walked down the hall. "I hope she's okay." Snow braced herself, placing a hand against the wall as she leaned forward to peek inside. When she didn't move, except for the widening of her eyes and smile, Belle stepped past her, glancing into the room herself.
A hand shot to her mouth, covering her own smile as they continued to stare at the three sleeping people. Snow placed her hands on her hips, smirking as she lowered her voice to a whisper. "I knew she liked him!" Belle chuckled softly, nodding her head in agreement before they turned to leave. Their news could wait until after naptime.