Prompt 190 – Roland climbs a tree and Regina helps gets him down.
Closer to the Stars
The dining hall is all but empty. That should have been her first indication that something was wrong. She'd arrived late—not late, she'd arrived precisely when she'd planned to—but everyone else should have already been seated, the buffet already picked over and Robin's band of mannerless misfits on their second helpings. There's only Tuck at their usual table, however, broken leg propped up on an empty bench. Snow sits across from him with arms wrapped around the ever-growing child she carries.
"Roland's missing," Snow tells Regina when her eyebrows ask the question of where the hell is everyone. "We figured we'd wait here in case he came back. Neither one of us is moving very quickly these days." Regina's mind was moving in every direction, there were far too many perils to be met in this damned realm, especially with her psychotic sister on the loose. She should be listening to Snow fill her in on the search; she should be out looking for the boy herself, but she stays rooted to the spot until a hand lands on each of her arms. It's Snow, getting her attention, making her focus with a small smile on her face that shows the pity Regina hates, but appreciates all the same. "Robin and Little John went to the orchards. They could probably use another set of eyes."
Regina stays there another few seconds selfishly soaking in the comfort her once nemesis offers before turning on heal and letting her magic take her away. Black feathers float in the air and land at Snow's feet. She plucks them up, running them between her fingers as she rejoins Tuck at the table, both share a knowing look and an anxious silence.
Of course he's in THAT tree, Regina groans internally as the smoke clears to Robin and John staring up the trunk of the tallest tree in the kingdom. It might as well be a bean stalk. The trunk is wide and relatively smooth; the branches are thick and sturdy, perfect for climbing if they didn't start sprouting off a good 30 feet above ground. John's looking through a spyglass he no doubt nicked from the pirate (no crime there as far as she's concerned), shaking his head and passing the instrument back to Robin.
"How high has he gotten?" Regina asks as both men spin around to face her. They're still wary of her, this mop-headed ogre of a man and the thief. Rightfully so. She's scary. She knows she is. She knows that she probably terrifies half the kingdom in her black feathered capes and dark makeup; distant attitudes and sharp tongue. Then there was that damned winged beast that they undoubtedly blame her for. So she's not surprised at all when John steps between her and Robin, ready to fight to protect his friend and the boy. "I only want to help," she raises her hands in surrender and John looks her up and down before deciding that her intentions are genuine. Robin had told him she had a soft spot for children and now wasn't the time to start questioning his friends judgement.
Regina moves around the men and up to the trunk of the tree. "How did he even get up there?" the thief asks from behind her. She doesn't turn to look at him, would know the look of a worried parent anywhere. She's worn it all too often herself when Henry had been convinced he was invincible. "Roland you need to come down!" Robin yells for what she imagines is the hundredth time, the volume jars her eardrum. The boys reply is carried away by the wind, and exasperated "Papa!" is all that makes it to Regina's ears. "Can you get him down? Can you use your magic?" he grabs her hands and squeezes. He's desperate. Regina knows he's wary of magic, especially her darkness; he would never have asked that of her otherwise.
She hates having to tell him, "No." Robin's mouth drops open, he stares at her wordlessly, eyes filling with tears. She squeezes his hands in return. "He's too high," she tells him, keeping her voice as calm as she can. "I can't see him clearly enough to know what part of him I'm grabbing. I could do more harm than good."
"Can you send me up there? Get me close?" He looks up to where Roland has completely disappeared within leaves. When she again shakes her head, she sees the anger flash in his eyes.
"You could end up with a branch through your heart, Robin," she tries to explain. "It's too risky."
He pulls away from her, slams his fists into the trunk over and over until his knuckles come away bloody.
"If he falls..." Robin starts, not knowing if he's blaming her or himself of the entirety of the universe.
"I'll catch him," Regina says without the slightest hesitation. "Robin, I will not let your son get hurt." He believes her. There's something in her eyes, something that he can't yet put a name to, but he knows he can trust her with this. "But I'd like to get to him before that happens."
"If you say you can't use your magic, how are we supposed to get to him?" John asks, smacking the trunk with his giant hands. "In case you haven't noticed Your Majesty, this trunk aint exactly made for climbing."
"Stop looking like an adult, you oaf" Regina scolds, guiding his hand down to a knot on the tree about a foot of the ground, another a bit higher, rough bark peeling away that would never support his weight, but would have afforded Roland an easy hand hold.
"I'll be damned," John mumbles, as he sees the tree in a new light.
"Yes you will be; it'll never hold you. Either of you," she adds as she sees Robin already breaking the holds and falling to the ground.
"He's my son, Your Majesty. I can just wait here and…"
He's cut off by a swirl of purple smoke, coughs and swats it away as it reveals a very different looking queen. Her gown transformed into leather pants and sturdy boots. Jewel draped skin and hair replaced with a simple sweater and a ponytail. "Give me a boost?" she asks of John, bending her knee and waiting impatiently for his hand to grip beneath it. "You already wrecked my starting point," she tells Robin as John hoists her into the air. She lets him hold her up for a moment, making sure she's got a good grip and her next one in sight, then another moment after that just for spite. He did question her after all.
Regina climbs slow and steady, winding her way around the trunk, eyeing her next grip, the next notch barely big enough for her boot. It's going well, like riding a bike. No one would believe that the Evil Queen used to climb trees to find a bit of peace hidden amongst their canopy. That secret's out, she supposes as she lets her mind wander back to the times Cora's goons would search the lands for her never bothering to look up to where she was resting comfortably over their heads, stiflingly laughter at their stupidity.
She's almost to the thick, sturdy branches that will afford her a bit of respite (her limbs may remember how to move, but they're not as young as they used to be) when her foot slips. Time stops in that moment, stretches out into nothingness as she scrambles against bark and air to find some purchase.
He's been following her assent, round and round cataloging each move she makes, each placement of hand and foot. She's right, although he'll never admit it; he wouldn't have been able to make the climb. There are places even here small frame finds problems getting a grip, but she's graceful even in this and it shouldn't surprise him. Nothing about her complex nature should still surprise him, but she's layer upon layer that he can't wait to keep discovering. The fact that she's doing all of this for his son, well, Robin will wrap his head around that one later. She's almost to the lowest branches; the climb will be much easier from there. Robin is just about to look away, his neck cramping from looking up at her for so long, when her leg goes rigid, her foot searching for anything that could boost her up. He can't make out her hands, but doubts there's enough support there to hold her for long. Before he even realizes he's reached for his bow, there's an arrow sunk deep into the trunk just to the side of her knee.
Regina hears the whistle and crack of the arrow and wastes no time planting her foot and propelling herself up to limb. She straddles it, back braced against the trunk as she tries to calm the rapid beating of her heart. She looks down to see Robin staring up, shielding his eyes from the setting sun. "So you do know how to aim!" she calls down. He says something back that she can't quite make out, but the grand bow he gives her has her rolling her eyes and laughing to herself as she gets to her feet and begins winding her way up the branches.
The rest of the climb is fairly simple, the branches often close enough that it's more like walking up a flight of stairs than climbing a tree. Just when she'd let herself relax Roland comes into view. He's still a fair bit above her and out much too far toward the edge of the limb for her liking. The branches were thin there, some still green, and all bending to hold his weight as he stretched up and up to try to reach the next bunch of leaves.
"Roland," she says as gently as she can; it was the voice she used to wake Henry up from a nightmare, as calm and controlled as she could manage. Still he spins toward her, the branch he was perched on bending even more. She hooks her leg close to the trunk and leans over to grab Roland's arm just as the limb gives way. It bounces, jarring her but she has a good hold on the thicker branch below him. She pulls him securely against her chest as leaves rain down. Her heart is again beating violently against her ribcage; this was quite enough of that for one day.
"What are you doing up here, My Majesty?" Roland mumbles against her neck. She's probably holding him too tightly, but she isn't ready to let go just yet.
"I came to get you, Roland. Everyone is looking for you. You scared us when you wondered off. And why in the world did you climb all the way up here? Do you know what would have happened if you fell? You could have—"
Big, brown, watery eyes stare up at her. When that little chin begins to quiver she's done for. "I'm sorry, Roland, but you scared me. You scared everybody," she smooths her fingers through his curls, lets him rest his head against her chest. "What are you doing way up here?" she asks again, this time without the frightened accusation in her voice.
"Getting closer to the sky," he whispers like it's a secret she's not supposed to know.
"What's up in the sky that you can't see from down there with your Papa and Uncles?" When he only burrows further into her arms, she rests her chin on his head. "I used to come up here to hide so nobody could find me, so I could be alone. Is that why you climbed up?"
"I'm not hiding! I was hiding inside the castle and she can't find me so I had to come out here so she wouldn't think I was hiding no more!" His little fists grip her sweater, the tears that had welled in his eyes come tumbling down his cheeks.
"Who Roland? Who needs to find you way up here?" Regina's mind swirls with images of dark fairies, flying monkeys, some new unknown darkness her wicked sister dreamt up to torture her by hurting the ones she loves. She loves this little boy, shouldn't, it's not safe too, but she can't help herself.
She's searching the stars for danger, when Roland's quiet "Mama," is breathed into her skin. He stares at her, scrutinizes this new majesty that dresses like him and climbs to the tops of the trees, deciding if he can trust her with his new secret. He trusted her before. She saved him from the monster and sneaks him chocolate when Papa isn't looking. So he takes a deep breath and decides he can tell her. "I don't like the castle," he says quietly, staring up at the stars. "I don't like sleeping inside where the stars don't see me. Papa says Mama is in the stars. Since we got to your castle I haven't been under the stars. I had to get closer so she would know I'm still here and she could find me again."
"Oh, Roland," her heart breaks for him. They got so lost in the day to day survival that they'd all forgotten the little things. The castle was safer than the woods, so she'd ordered everyone inside. She'd never considered the consequences to her favorite little house guest. "Your Mama knows where you are, sweetheart. When you're in the sky you can see through everything to find the person that you're looking for."
"Even through the big stones and the magic walls?" he stares at her wide-eyed.
"Even through all that. Mama's that live in the stars have the most powerful magic that ever existed." She hopes she's not wrong in telling him this, hopes his father will be okay with how she's handling his questions. They're not hers to answer, it's really not her place, but she has to tell him something. He's looking at her with those eyes and those dimples and she can't leave him in pain.
"More powerful than yours?" Roland asks. "Because Uncle John says that you are mean sometimes, but you keep us safe cause you're the mostest powerful."
Does he now, Regina smiles to herself, but assures Roland "Way more powerful than mine," and taps his nose until she gets a smile out of him. "But I'll tell you what, how about we go back down so your Papa can see that you're safe and I will find you two a room in the castle that you can always see the stars in."
"Really?" he smiles excitedly, then gets very serious as he looks down. His father is nothing but a spec on the forest floor. He clings to Regina a little tighter. He just wanted to see his mama and had never thought about how to get back down.
"How about we take a short cut?" she asks as she watches the nervousness grow in him. He's not alone in that. It's getting darker by the second and the decent is not something Regina wants to attempt in the fading light, especially with Roland in tow. His face lights up again when he realizes she's going to use her magic. Papa always says magic is dangerous, but he knows Regina isn't dangerous and the secret magic she does for him is always fun. She pulls him from her lap and holds him as he wraps his legs around her waist. "Hold on tight," she tells him, giving his ribs a little tickle that still has him giggling when her magic lands them safely on the ground a few feet from where she knew Robin would still be pacing.
"Roland!" he's beside them in seconds, taking his son from her arms and holding him tightly. "Please don't ever scare me like that again, my boy."
"He won't," Regina assures. It's only then that Robin meets her eyes. "Roland was just missing the stars."
Robin knows there's more to be said, will ask her a thousand questions later when Roland is safe in his bed. For now, a nod and mouthed 'Thank you' are all he can manage and more than Regina needs.
"Let's get you back to the castle so everyone knows you're safe," Robin musses his hair, holds him even tighter to his chest as they begin the walk back to the castle.
"That was quite impressive, Your Majesty," John says under his breath as he walks by. He means to keep walking, but he finds he has more to say. Turning back to her, he takes a moment to appreciate how truly small she is unadorned in her costumes and malice. "I don't know what he would've done if that boy had fallen. I don't know what any of us would've done. He's our family; our best little marry man and I…"
"I know what it's like to lose a child, John. I wouldn't wish that on anyone," her voice catches. Damn it will she ever be able to talk about her son without her heart betraying her? She clears her throat, shakes off the pain. Henry's safe, Roland's safe. It has to be enough for now. "Roland's a very special child. It's hard not love that kid, right?" she laughs and shrugs trying to lighten the mood she brought down.
"Thank you, is what I'm trying to say here," John extends his hand and to both of their surprise, Regina takes it. "Thank you," both his hands envelop hers. He holds her gaze for a moment before they both nod and they make their way to catch up with Robin and Roland. She could use her magic, but she finds that like Roland, she's been missing the stars.
When they get back, it's to cheers and laughter and Roland being tossed in the air. She looks up one last time to see a star shoot across the sky. "You're welcome," she smiles to the heavens before closing the castle doors, dodging the reverie and sets off toward the east tower. After all it is getting late and she has a bedroom to prepare.
Thank you for reading! Reviews are nice. :)