Muttered grumbling met her ears. She walked past a few more bushes, lifting the hem of her dark blue dress a bit over a particularly muddy spot. She had to smile at the sight that her eyes alighted upon. There was Roland, pretending to fire the smallest bow and arrow she ever saw. He drew back the string a little bit then dropped the bow and ran with the arrow high above his head, making a loud whooshing sound as he flew past her. He came to a halt in front of a tree where the stuffed monkey she had given him was propped up. He lifted the monkey into the air and the hand grasping the arrow 'killed' the monkey.
"Oh no! " He voiced for the monkey.
"That's what happens to bad monkeys!" Regina grinned at the 5 year old trying to sound rough and tough to a stuffed animal.
"But I'm not a bad monkey anymore now I'm a good monkey,"
"Oh ok then. We'll have to find the other bad monkeys then," Roland acquiesced.
"Ok."
Regina smiled at the conversation Roland had with himself. It reminded her if Henry. She remembered him at that age. His imagination had exploded and she had spent many afternoons playing pretend with her son. She missed him.
She stepped out from behind the bushes.
"Regina!" Roland exclaimed and ran over to her. She expertly weaved her hands to catch the arrow still clutched in his hand and scooped him into a hug when he barreled into her.
"Hello there Roland, what are you doing out here?"
"Playing" he said, flashing her a giant grin. She smiled, "I can see that. Should you really be playing with a bow and arrow out here in the forest by yourself though? What if you got hurt?"
"Papa said he would teach me later but he and the others are looking for the monkeys"
"I see, and he left you by yourself?"
"No, John fell asleep though. So me and Mr monkey came out here to play."
"Mr. monkey and I, dear." Roland looked at her quizzically.
"Never mind dear." He nodded once then his face lit up in another smile.
"Wanna play?" He asked.
"Ok," she smiled. "What are we playing?"
"We gotta get all the bad monkeys" he whispered conspiratorially.
"Oh do we? That sounds like a big job to do."
"Gonna be the hero and save the girl from the monkeys!" He continued.
"Oh? What girl?" Regina asked, playfully looking around the forest.
Roland giggled. "You, Regina!" He said .
"Me? Oh and then where are the monkeys?"
"I'M the monkey!" He yelled playfully and dropped what he was holding to raise his arms and bare them like claws, roaring menacingly.
"Oh no!" Regina exclaimed, setting Roland down and playing along, letting him chase her around the forest clearing.
xxxxxxxx
When Robin and his team trooped into camp, it was much to Robin's displeasure that he had to wake Little John up to ask where his son was. Little John's face wore guilt with an easy feel. This had happened once before already. Without much preamble Robin sent Little John to the north, and two others each to the west and south, he himself took the east route as they began scouting for Roland. At least it wasn't dark yet, but just the same, with the monkeys flying about in the woods, Robin was anxious to get his son back to the safety of the camp. He made a mental note to ask someone else to watch Roland next time he had to leave camp.
He began his trek, cupping his hands around his mouth and calling "Roland!" every minute or so. He was about to give another call when he heard his son laughing maybe 10 minutes away from the camp and smiled in relief. At least his son hadn't gotten himself into trouble while he was away. He followed the sound of his boy's laughter and soon enough he came into view. As he stepped around from behind a tree he discovered however that Roland wasn't the only one he had found. The queen was chasing his boy around the clearing, letting him 'almost' get away every time she got too close. It looked like an impromptu game of tag. Only the queen was anything but dressed for the occasion. Granted, she was wearing those leather pants of hers that he loved, but he could see her heels flashing from between the folds of her skirt. That couldn't be comfortable and yet there she was, laughing and chasing his son around the clearing as he whooped and hollered his glee. Roland spotted him then.
"Papa!" He yelled and started running towards him. Regina startled when she spotted him though and Robin was too far away to help. Her heel caught in the dirt as she turned and she fell down with a shout of surprise. Her hands came up to stop her fall but he saw her wince as they made contact with the rough floor.
"Uh oh, Regina!" Roland said, making his way back to her.
"I'm ok, Roland." Regina said, pulling herself to a sitting position and examining her hands. Robin walked forward and kneeled on one knee beside her as she brushed her hands free of bits of dirt and pebbles. Her palm was scratched, a drop of blood peeking out. He also couldn't help her breasts rising and falling rapidly as she tried to catch her breath from running so fast, her beaded corset making for a lovely view indeed. He cleared his throat and looked back to Roland.
"We make it better." Roland said and bent and kissed her hand. "Now papa," he said, straightening.
"Oh no, it's ok, Roland, I think you made it all better."
Robin smiled as the queen grew flustered. "Allow me, please milady." He said and reached for her hand, placing a kiss on her palm, he felt her fingers brush against the whiskers under his chin. He looked up and smiled at her "All better," he said and she smiled in return, slowly pulling her hand from his light grip.
"I see you two were having a bit of fun out here." He said to them.
"We were catching the monkeys! And I was a monkey! And then we played tag!" Roland piped up.
"Oh an exciting day indeed!" He crowed, pulling Roland into his lap and giving his belly a tickle, prompting a peal of laughter from him. He looked at Regina and noticed her smile grow wider as his son laughed, her eyes trained on him.
"Thank you, milady, for keeping him safe while I was away. I'm afraid John must not have been up to the task."
"Regina. My name's Regina. And it was fun playing with him." She glanced down; suddenly shy as his eyes studied her face. She ran her fingers through her hair, hoping it wasn't too much of a mess from running around in the forest with a 5 year old.
"Regina," he smiled, "it's been a pleasure running into you again. Perhaps you'd like to join us for dinner back at camp? As a thank you," he continued.
"Yes, Regina! You have to come! And then we can play after dinner too!" Roland suggested.
Robin laughed. "I think Regina may be tired after dinner to play some more, Roland my boy, she seems to have kept after you all afternoon."
"I'd love to," Regina broke in.
Robin turned to look once again at the queen. "And we can play after dinner if you still want too," she continued.
Robin's brow raised a bit as he contemplated the woman sitting on the forest floor beside him. Was this really the 'evil' queen? Not two weeks ago she had risked her life to save his son, and now here she was cavorting around the forest playing tag with him. Snow must be right, he thought, she has changed, he didn't think he would ever be able to refer to her as the evil queen, she was too kind. He grinned.
"It sounds like a fine evening indeed then," he said, standing and offering his hand to Regina.
"May we escort you back to camp Regina?" Regina smiled.
"Yes, yes you may." She said and accepted his help in standing, brushing a few errant leaves off her skirts. Roland giggled and ran off in the direction of camp, stopping to pick up his bow and monkey before continuing.
"Not too far, Roland." Robin called and Roland called back, "Yes, papa" a hint of an exasperated tone in his voice. Nonetheless, he stayed close as the three of them walked back to camp.
xxxxxxx
Regina was introduced to everyone back at camp, Roland referring to her as 'his new friend'. They ate their supper, Robin glancing up at Regina every so often, catching her looking at him from beneath lowered lashes for a moment before hastily fixing her attention at something else. Who was this woman, Robin wondered. This woman with a body built for sin and a heart filled with love for children. He watched her eyes follow Roland as he danced around the campfire, having finished his supper.
"Let's play now Regina! You too Papa!" Roland said after a few more minutes of dancing.
"Oh, me too? I get to play this time?" Robin asked.
"Yes, Papa, you can play too." Roland said with a grin.
"What should we play with Regina?" Robin asked his son, bending down to pick him up.
"Ummmmm," Roland floundered for a second before exclaiming, "Hide and Seek, Papa!"
"Hide and Seek?" Robin asked, looking to Regina, who smiled and stood up to join them.
"That sounds like fun, Roland, let's play." She said and walked a little ways from the camp, Robin and Roland following her. And so they played. Robin being unanimously elected to be 'it' while Regina and Roland took off hiding. Regina was radiant. The campfire was just bright enough to provide light that danced around them, arching shadows and twisted gleams here and there. Robin had never had so much fun, the woods echoed with their laughter as they took turns being 'it'. When Roland declared that he wanted to be 'it', Robin and Regina raised their brows at each other.
"I don't know my boy, we are expert hiders. Do you think you'll be able to find us?" Robin asked playfully.
"I'll find you! Go hide!" Roland said and turned around on the spot and began counting.
"One, two, three…" he began and Robin and Regina grinned at each other and took off.
Regina spotted an easy enough hiding place, there was a rather large tree next to some brush that provided ample cover, so she crouched down and waited, smiling as Roland cautiously counted to ten. If he switched the eight and the nine, well, he was still learning. It was precisely when Roland yelled "Ten! Ready or not, here I come!" That Regina let out a gasp of surprise as Robin tumbled through the brush and landed half on her and half on the ground beside her.
"What are you doing?" Regina said in hushed tones, "you're supposed to be hiding."
"I am, I'm afraid I ran out of hiding spots milady."
"Well, this one's mine, go find another," She said, shoving at him. He took the arm that had landed on the other side of her waist and scooted backwards a bit, so that he was now kneeling on the forest floor, body still turned towards her.
"I can't, Roland will find me." Robin countered playfully.
"Well then be quiet, you're going to give us away with all that racket." She said, referring to his boots scuffling a bit in the dirt. Robin grinned.
"I didn't know you had a competitive streak, Regina, against a five year old no less." Robin said, a touch of mocking in his voice.
"Well, I just wanted you to be found first, but you've botched that up quite nicely."
"Ah, indeed I have, "Robin agreed.
"Found you! Papa! Regina!" Roland suddenly shouted.
Both of them looked up to see Roland jumping up and down in excitement.
"So you have my boy," Robin agreed and Roland fist pumped the air and ran off back to camp.
"I think your son just declared himself the winner," Regina said.
"Yes, I think you're right, but you know what?" He asked, looking into her eyes that reflected the campfire beautifully.
"What?" Regina asked.
Robin swooped down and placed a chaste kiss on her nose.
"I won." He said and stood and made his way back to camp. When a rather stunned Regina made her way back as well, he smiled at her, and she offered a shaky smile in return. Yes, he thought, what an intriguing woman indeed.