A/N : Hello everyone! I know what you're thinking "she just finished JtF, she's supposed to focus on Chase and WIRM". I know, and that's true. Except that I've done a pretty good job with Chase and WIRM (next chapter already in the betareading process by the way), I have several chapters in advance for each of them, and someone kinda harrassed me so I would write this prompt XD
This is the association of two prompts :
- I'd like to see a bit of that temper Dawn got from her mother, like little Dawn having a tantrum, if possible at a young age maybe around 4 years old... But with fluff and cuddles in the end please! You can break my heart as long as you fix it in the end. For example, Regina is stressed and has a lot to do, Dawn already feels neglected because Regina is so busy but she desperately wants her mommy and Regina is already annoyed and overworked and yells at her daughter (for something stupid) but feels sorry for it in the end and wants to apologize but Dawn is stubborn and hurts and chooses to ignore her mother (make Regina beg for forgiveness)
- Dawn adjusting to her siblings/being jealous. I don't mean for her just being jealous and having a tantrum for not getting what she wants... more like Dawn feeling left out (and rightly so), the twins take up a lot of time and they keep especially Regina super busy.
So you understood that it's supposed to be quite angsty, and I apologize in advance if I break any heart. I can't take part in Angst fest, but this is, I think, a good compromise XD
Anny, you don't get to complain if this hurts, because you asked for it XD
"Mommy!"
Dawn runs to her with a large grin and open arms. Regina crouches down as best as she can, carefully protecting Ethan, who is sleeping peacefully in the sling against her chest. Dawn wraps her little arms around her neck and hugs her mother tight, and Regina closes her eyes to savor the moment.
Ever since Lena and Ethan were born two months ago, her days consist of breastfeeding, changing diapers, cleaning, helping Connor with his homework when John isn't available, washing clothes, the amount of which has increased exponentially with three young kids. She doesn't have much time left for Dawn, and judging by the way her daughter is clinging to her, she clearly needs more attention. So, Regina takes her time, rubs the little girl's back, presses several kisses to her head, brushes her cheek tenderly, before smiling widely when she pulls back.
"How was your day, sweetheart?"
"Super great!" Dawn replies with her usual enthusiasm, talking excitedly about everything she did with Helena as she follows her mother towards one of the large tables in the middle of the camp, where Little John and Connor are settled.
Dawn is rambling on about the drawings they made but she stops when she spots her godfather, abandons her mother and runs to him with a shriek of his name, climbing on his lap to give him a strong hug. Little John laughs at Dawn's endless energy, he barely has time to put her on the ground before she's already running across the table to jump next to Connor and peak her head over his shoulder, curiously asking him what he's doing when he looks up at her with a grin.
Regina watches her daughter with an affectionate gaze, then places the basket in which Lena is sleeping on the table, and sits down, letting out a loud exhale that catches Little John's attention immediately.
"Tired?"
She sighs again. "Tired doesn't even begin to cover it," she replies, quickly checking on her sleeping son in the baby sling. "I haven't had more than 2 hours of sleep per night over the last days. Dawn had her temper as a baby, but she at least had the courtesy not to wake me up more than twice during the night. These two," she tilts her chin towards the newborns, "can't seem to be willing to give me a break. Their rhythms are completely different, they never wake at the same time..."
John's hand is on her back, rubbing soothingly.
"It will get better as they grow up," he encourages.
Regina smiles tiredly. "I hope so. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep up with this rhythm."
"Do you want to go take a nap?" John suggests. "I can watch them."
He glances at the sleeping newborns, his goddaughter and his son. Connor is reading a book out loud to Dawn, who's pressed against him, captivated by the tale.
"No, that's fine, John," Regina shakes her head, her smile turning into a grateful one. "Dawn just got out of daycare, I'd like to spend some time with her, and Robin and Matthew will arrive soon."
"Robin fell asleep on his desk yesterday. We told him to come back home, but he insisted on finishing his shift."
"Even if I'm the one up most of the time, having a newborn crying like an alarm next to him automatically wakes him up too. Dawn is the only one who manages to sleep through the night. At least she doesn't suffer from lack of sleep."
Regina smiles when she looks at the little girl, her wide blue eyes staring at Connor's book in awe, drinking in the boy's words.
"She's resourceful," John replies, getting Regina's attention. "I'm sure she could beat us all even without a good night of sleep."
Regina laughs softly. "Oh, she definitely could. But she-"
She's cut off by her daughter bumping against her legs, exclaiming loudly. "Mommy?"
"Yes, sweetie?" Regina smiles widely at Dawn's irresistible toothy grin, cupping her chin tenderly.
"Can we go play by the river?"
"Now?" She questions with a raised eyebrow. "I thought Connor was reading you a story."
The boy shrugs when Regina looks at him. "This book is about people navigating on a river."
"Oh! I see," Regina says mischievously, winking at Connor and addressing her excited daughter an interested smile. "Don't you want to finish the story first?"
Dawn shakes her head eagerly. "Wanna your story!" She requests excitedly.
Regina thinks for a moment, glances at her twins. The timing might not be right, one of them could ask to be fed anytime. But looking at her older child, Regina can't find it in her heart to disappoint her. Her siblings will have to wait a little.
"Alright, my princess. Go take your bathing things. I'll be here in a minute."
The little girl's reaction is exactly what Regina expected. Dawn bursts out screaming, jumping in her arms, then falling back on her feet and without needing to be told twice, she races in the direction of her tent. Regina smiles as she turns to Little John.
"If we're lucky, these two should sleep another hour. That should give me some time with Dawn," Regina explains as she carefully takes Ethan out of the sling, "and Robin will probably be back from-"
The piercing scream of the newborn tears their eardrums apart, Regina instinctively cradling the boy against her chest. She didn't realize he was starting to awake, and damn, she hopes she'll manage to calm him down so she can fulfill her plans.
"Hey there, Ethan," she coos softly. "I'm here, baby. Mommy's here. It's okay."
John has gotten up and is affectionately scratching the baby's belly. He knows Regina enough to be aware that there's no point in telling her to leave with Dawn while one of her children is crying. So he waits patiently, lets her try to soothe the child's sorrow... ineffectively. And considering how Ethan seems to be looking for his mother's breast, this excursion to the river might have to wait.
Regina sighs when she realizes what her son wants. Is it possible to spend a few hours without feeling like a milk farm? Regina's eyes abandon Ethan for a second, just enough to desperately meet Little John's compassionate ones, as he understands her train of thoughts, and ruined plans. Defeated, she sits back down and begins to settle Ethan comfortably in the sling in order to feed him.
You need a break, a voice in her head whispers. But that's not really an option at the moment. At least, Ethan is now lashing out and greedily suckling, so it's quiet.
"Oh oh… Regina?"
Regina looks up at Connor, following his wary gaze, but the sound reaching her ears is enough explanation. Lena's awake too, and apparently pretty upset as her daughter is crying herself hoarse, face red, legs and arms tense.
"Lena…" Regina sighs.
Keeping a good hold on her son still suckling, she carefully gets up, presses a hand on her daughter's belly, trying to appease her. "Darling, calm down please."
"Let me," John offers, lifting the little girl in his arms and starting to rock her slowly. "Hey hey, little one. Why are you so upset?"
None of them pay attention to Dawn, who came back and is standing behind her mother, her towel in hand, calling her repeatedly, but Regina is too focused on her son gripping her breast and her other daughter still agitated in John's arms to notice the little girl's presence.
"Maybe she needs to be changed," John suggests, settling the newborn back in her basket and opening her diaper the best he can. "Or not. It's not even wet."
"Mommy?" Dawn calls again.
But Regina is still oblivious of the toddler's calls.
"I fed her barely an hour ago, I don't think she's already hungry." Looking down at the other child in her arms, she shakes her head. "And I could use a break from the constant breastfeeding."
"Mommy?"
Regina palms Lena's abdomen. "Maybe her belly hurts. Tuck told me she was suffering from… colic? I think that's the word he used. He said that's something normal for a baby, but that's one of the reasons she wakes up screaming quite regularly and there's little I can do to calm her."
The child's screams haven't quieted down a bit, getting on Regina's nerves, her patience running thin. "Lena, please sweetheart, just calm down."
Her voice sounds a little desperate, but moments like this have become her everyday life. She can't even sit down to breastfeed Ethan in peace, because Lena has to make a crisis at the same time.
"Try to put her on her belly," she explains to John. "Sometimes, massaging her-"
"Mommy?"
"What?" Regina yells when Dawn's insistent voice interrupts her. She swirls around to face her toddler, ripping Ethan off her breast at the same time, triggering the boy's screams as well when he spurts the milk he was drinking all over his mother's chest. Regina blows an annoyed breath and tries to wipe her dress the best she can with one of the towels in her little bag. "Damn it!" Then looking at Dawn, she spits, unable to hide her irritation. "Look at what you made me do, Dawn!"
"But, you say we go to the river and-"
"Can't you see that I'm busy with your brother and sister?" She yells, helping her son in a good position again. "I don't have time to go to the river right now. I have more important things to do than playing with you," Regina tells her harshly.
As the words leave her lips and she sees her daughter's face fall, shock written in the little blonde's blue eyes, Regina realizes her mistake, her own eyes opening wide in horror.
But it's too late.
"Oh my God... Dawn!" She calls desperately, but her daughter is already running away. "Dawn, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
In her reflex to follow her daughter, she rips Ethan from her breast again, triggering the same situation like before, her chest covered in milk and her son screaming again.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" she lets out hopelessly, suppressing tears, glancing between her two screaming newborns and the direction in which Dawn disappeared.
"What's going on?" Alerted by the screams, Tuck arrives quickly, taking in the scene.
Regina is looking at Little John, who's waiting for her, Lena still screaming in his arms.
"Please!" She begs with tearful eyes.
He simply nods, carefully hands Lena to Tuck. "Can you try to calm her?" He asks, not waiting for an answer before he runs after his goddaughter.
Tuck stays silent at first, assessing the situation, Regina, half covered in milk, appeasing her son with a wobbling voice, Lena wailing in his arms, and Connor getting up from the bench and approaching the brunette slowly, wrapping his arms around her waist and giving her a hug.
Regina lets out a sob, a small smile piercing through her tears, adjusting Ethan in the sling now that the baby is quieter, and wrapping one arm around Connor's body.
"It's okay, Regina," the boy murmurs, his head pressed against her side.
This simple sentence, combined with his loving gesture, give Regina enough strength to pull herself together, sit down on the bench again with the boy next to her. She cups his chin and tenderly gazes at him.
"I love you so much, Connor. Thank you, sweetheart."
Her lips press against his forehead, and the contact, the love and sweetness emanating from the child, soothes Regina's anxiety and pain a little bit. So, she leaves Lena's care to Tuck, listening to his soft voice while he coos her daughter, and keeps Connor close for a few minutes.
When she pulls back a moment later, she ruffles his hair, kisses his temple and after an exchange of smiles speaking the words they don't voice, he goes back to his seat in front of his homework.
Tuck takes place next to her then, a calmer Lena suckling on his little finger snuggled against his chest.
"What happened?" He asks gently.
Biting her lower lip to prevent the tears from falling, Regina looks up from the sleeping form of her son in the sling. "Dawn wanted to go to the river and I initially said yes. But Lena and Ethan woke up and began crying at the same time, so when Dawn insisted, I... I just..." Tears are quietly falling down her cheeks again, and Regina lets them. She's too on edge to hold them back. "I told her she wasn't important." She waits for Tuck's reaction, but the man doesn't move, just listens, so she continues. "I didn't mean it. Of course I didn't, she's my little girl, I love her so much. But I was overwhelmed, and she caught me at the worst moment, and the words just came out..." She sighs and buries her face in her hands. "God, I'm such a horrible mother."
"Cora." Her mother's name has Regina look up in confusion. "Was a horrible mother," Tuck resumes. "You, are a loving, dedicated, sweet mother, who is currently swamped with twins barely two months old. You are exhausted, and you definitely lack a proper night of sleep. And I can say that without a doubt, Regina, because I know the adorable boy who comforted you despite his young age, will confirm it."
And indeed, when they look at him, Connor is proudly grinning and nodding eagerly. "You are the best mom in the whole world!" He exclaims.
Despite her sorrow, Regina can't help but chuckle, relaxing a little. "Thank you, Connor. But I certainly don't feel like it right now."
"You're tired, Regina," Tuck reasons. "You're in no state to see the situation beyond what just happened. I'm sure Dawn knows how much you love her and she'll forgive you in a heartbeat."
xxx
"Hey, my love!"
Regina greets Robin with a tired smile, immediately leans into his embrace and rests her head in the crook of his neck, exhaling a long breath, failing in holding back sobs.
"Are you alright, mom?"
Matthew is here too, her big boy who's finishing up the details about the school he wants to open. Of course, he and Robin immediately saw that she wasn't fine, and her tears confirmed their suspicions. Little John came back a little while ago, to inform Regina that Dawn was pretty upset, and that despite his best efforts, she refused to see or talk to her mother.
"I tried to explain the situation to her, but she's convinced that you don't love her. Or at least, less than Matthew and the twins. And she doesn't know what she did wrong to deserve that."
It devastated Regina. Knowing that her daughter was in such distress, and that she was the reason why was the last straw. Little John went back to Dawn, who was stubbornly refusing to exit his tent, while Tuck kept Regina company and unsuccessfully tried to mend her broken heart with comforting words.
"She had a pretty bad break down, and Dawn bore the brunt of that," he explains to Robin and Matthew. "Your daughter is with Little John and Connor, and she refuses to hear her mother's apologies. We thought it'd be best to wait until you two were back before Regina confronted her."
"You were right. I'm going to take things in hand from now," Robin says, hugging his wife and cradling her head. Regina is at the end of her tether, she's barely holding on. He needs to do something to help her get the rest she needs.
"She'll never forgive me," Regina whimpers against his shoulder.
Well... Fixing that situation is a priority. Then, he'll make sure Regina can have some sleep. Tomorrow is another day, one he –and their son, considering the determination in Matthew's eyes- will definitely spend at the camp with their family.
"Stop saying that, mom," Matthew is crouched down next to his parents, a hand on his mother's forearm. "Dawn loves you. She won't stay mad for very long once you take her in your arms."
Robin doesn't miss Tuck's wince. If his friend is this worried, it's that things are bad. Dawn is a smart, and incredibly stubborn 4 four-year-old child. When she's decided something, she sticks to it. Her mother's temper, just like Arthur had predicted on the day she was born. So he asks Regina to tell him the whole story, and his wife does. When she's done, he understands the situation better.
"Do you mind watching these two, Tuck?" Robin asks when glancing at his sleeping twins, each one in their basket.
"Of course not. Go!"
The short walk to John's tent is made in silence. Regina is tense. She messed up pretty bad, and she knows her daughter. Dawn loves her indeed, but this love is what makes the whole situation worse. She's been hurt by her own mother, the person who's supposed to take care of her and do nothing but show her how important and loved she is. And she failed at that.
Maybe I am more like my mother than I thought, she can't help but think.
Robin calls his friend's name, and Connor flaps the tent open. The boy smiles shyly and lets them in. They find Dawn sitting on the ground with John in front of what they recognize to be Connor's wooden horses. If the child's face illuminates when she sees her father and brother, it falls instantly when she notices her mother and understands what must be going on.
John gets up after pressing a kiss to her cheek, telling her to be nice and remember what they discussed, and exits the cabin with his son, leaving the family alone. Dawn stubbornly stares at the horse in her hand, even when her father takes place next to her and gives her a hug.
"Hello, my big girl! Wanna tell me what's going on?"
Dawn's only reply is a shrug. She doesn't even look up to her father.
Robin tries to catch her gaze, but Dawn keeps avoiding him. He sits crossed-legged and lifts his daughter to settle her on his lap.
"Dawn, you have to talk to me so I can fix what's bothering you."
The child snuggles against his chest and mutters shyly. "Mommy don't love me."
Regina takes a step forward, but Matthew holds her back and Robin stops her with a look. Better get through Dawn while she's willing to talk rather than cutting her off and having her turn off.
"What makes you think that?"
"She say it."
Regina closes her eyes slowly. She feels Matthew's arms wrap around her shoulders, and leans in her son's embrace.
"Were those the exact words she used, Dawn?"
The little girl hesitates, but in the end, she shakes her head.
"She say playing with me isn't important."
"Alright," He adjusts his daughter so she's facing him. "Sweetie, do you love your mommy?" Dawn's nod is shy and, he has to admit, the hurt he reads on her face pains him. No wonder why Regina is in such a state and feeling so guilty. He would be too if he had caused this situation. "You know that mommy is very busy since your sister and brother were born, right?" Again, the same wordless nod. "But it doesn't mean that she loves you any less."
"But she say it, daddy!" Dawn counters.
"She didn't say that she didn't love you, little one. And if you ask her," he looks up at his wife. "I'm sure that she'll tell you how much she loves you."
Regina steps forward carefully, unwilling to throw off her wary daughter. Dawn is staring at her with hard eyes, unconvinced, hurt, heartbroken, her usual self-confidence gone. The brunette kneels in front of the toddler, and swallows back her tears. She needs to be the strong one, Dawn is just a child and she's her mother.
"I love you, my princess. I love you with all my heart, I swear."
"But you love Ethan and Lena more," Dawn argues, pouting and crossing her arms over her chest. "You always with them. You don't play with me anymore."
"I don't love them more than I love you," Regina assures. "I am... What I said, it wasn't true, I didn't mean one single word."
"Then why do you say that?"
"Because..." How do you explain a 4-year-old a situation that shouldn't be any of her concern?
She's still hesitant when Matthew crouches next to her. "Because mom is tired, Dawn. And when we're tired we often say things we don't mean." His sister looks at him with her brow knitted in confusion, so Matthew continues. "Remember when you were sick last time?" Dawn nods. "You were awake all night because of the fever, and when you joined us for breakfast you were all cranky and in a bad mood. Same happened with mom today."
"I'm sorry for the things I said, Dawn," Regina resumes, grateful and reinvigorated by her son's intervention. "I really am. Please, can you forgive me?"
The next seconds stir into a deep silence, all three adults focused on the 4-year-old who hasn't moved an inch and hasn't said a word, still looking her mother deeply in the eyes.
"Don't know," she finally lets out, looking down, letting a tear fall.
Her parents and brother sigh. Stubborn indeed... She even beats Regina on this one.
Robin gets up and hands the girl to her brother, who scoops her in his arms. "Stay with Matthew for a second, sweetheart. I'll be right back."
He leads Regina outside, where they walk a few steps to make sure Dawn won't hear them.
"I've never seen her like this," he admits, scratching the back of his head. "She's lost her trust in you."
"Tuck is wrong. I am exactly like my mother." Regina sighs, looking down.
Robin opens his arms and gathers his wife against him. "You're not, Regina. If you were, you wouldn't feel so miserable."
"I don't know what to do to fix this mess," She mutters against his chest.
"Well," Robin pulls back to look at her. "I think some time alone with her would really help."
"But how? You saw her, it's almost as if she was taking refuge in your arms to stay away from me."
"We won't let her say no. As much as I love her, she's a child, she doesn't get to have the final word. Tomorrow, you are going to spend the day with our daughter. You and Dawn need some mother-daughter time, away from the camp."
"And who would take care of the twins meanwhile?"
"Matthew and I will."
Regina arches an eyebrow. "How do you plan on feeding them? Forget the diapers and Lena's crisis. They still wake up every 3 hours to eat, and never at the same time so basically one of them always needs to be fed every hour and a half."
"I went to see Leanne today," Robin reveals. "I talked to her about the situation, how you can never get a minute of rest because one of the twins constantly needs you day and night. She mentioned something that could help. There's this new... device made from a horn, with a teat at the end, that some people who've had twins can use to help them feed their babies. They fill it with goat milk, or sometimes the mother's milk. It allows the mother to only have one child to breastfeed."
"Isn't it dangerous?"
"She admitted that Lena and Ethan are a bit young to use it, but she also said that she'll bring us one tonight and will stay overnight to show us how to safely feed our children." He covers her shoulders with his hands. "Give it a try, my love. You need some rest, and Dawn needs you. I'm going to take a few days off work so I can help you, but I believe that this horn could be an answer... At least until you've had some rest and the kids are less draining you."
Regina exhales loudly, then looks back up at her husband. "Alright. I trust Leanne, and I trust you," she says as she brings a hand to his cheek. "Thank you, Robin. I didn't even ask yet, you knew exactly what I needed. As always."
Regina's smile is a relieved and honest one when she presses her lips to her husband's, moaning softly and full of a renewed energy when she falls back on her feet.
"Now, let's announce the news to our little storm."
xxx
As expected, Dawn had welcomed the news of a day spent with her mother with a doubtful pout. She stubbornly refused her arms, cuddles and bedtime story, despite Matthew's attempts at reasoning with her. But once morning rose, her parents didn't give her a choice.
"Look, sweetheart!" Regina says, pointing at a bush in front of them. "Berries! Why don't we get some for our lunch?"
She drags Dawn there, but her daughter still stubbornly pouts, barely paying attention to the fruits she usually picks with enthusiasm. Regina notices, refrains a sigh, forces her smile on, slightly tugging at Dawn's hand to catch her attention when she shows her a handful of blackberries –her favorite.
"Do you want some, Dawn?"
But the child's response is the same pouting face, and a shake of her head. "Not hungry."
Regina isn't deterred by her answer. The sleep she finally had last night filled her with a renewed energy. She will do whatever she has to do to get her daughter's trust back, no matter how long it takes.
"Alright, I'll save them for later." She puts them in the basket filled with their picnic, rises to her feet, and leads Dawn deeper into the forest. She and Robin decided on a girls' trip to the river, like the one they had initially planned.
During the rest of the walk, Regina tries to coax a smile out of her daughter, but so far, she is failing miserably. Dawn's stubbornness isn't a piece of cake to deal with, that much is certain. But the child doesn't know one thing: Her mother's stubbornness is legendary.
"There, I think this is the perfect place to stay."
Regina stops near a stream, not deep enough that Dawn would be in danger, but with enough water to allow them to play.
"I'm sure we're going to have a good time."
She unfolds a large blanket, places the basket of food on top, and reaches for her gourd. "Come here, sweetie. Drink some water." Regina says as she pours some water in her throat.
She turns around, lowering the gourd for her daughter... and faces an empty spot.
"Dawn?"
Regina frowns, turns on her heels.
"Dawn?"
Her heart rate accelerates when she realizes that her daughter is nowhere to be seen. Please, anything but that! Regina silently begs as fear seizes her.
You let go of her hand for barely a minute. She can't be far. Regina tries to reason. You've been trained to track traces, you will find her!
"Dawn, sweetheart! Where are you?" She calls with insistence. "This is not funny!"
She finds the girl's footprints strolling away from where she left her, and she follows them, until she notices another footprint... One that doesn't belong to a human being.
"Dawn!" She calls, frantically this time. Following an animal into the forest... Another one of her daughter's best ideas...
Regina follows the traces, fighting her anxiety and anger, trying to stay calm. The last thing she needs is to upset her daughter even more... even if Dawn is upsetting her right now.
I love you, sweetheart, but I would greatly appreciate it if you were a bit less reckless and curious.
"Dawn, damnit! Answer me!" Regina calls again. She looks around her, but her daughter is nowhere to be seen, and her steps are farther and farther apart, as if she had been running...
Running from her horrible mother who makes her believe she isn't loved.
There!
Regina freezes, listens carefully. Yes, that's it! Her daughter's voice! Regina follows the light giggle, the low words she cannot hear. Who is Dawn talking to? She pushes away a bush, and discovers... Dawn, sat among young wild boars, petting and talking to them with a large grin. Regina holds her breath immediately. She needs to get Dawn out of there before the mother is back.
"Sweetheart?" She calls gently, getting her daughter's attention, her happy face looking up at her with a smile that slightly falls. "Dawn, come with me," Regina says slowly, checking her surroundings, taking a careful step towards her daughter and holding out her hand for her. "We have to go."
"Wanna stay with my new friends," Dawn argues.
Damn stubbornness!
"Sweetie, they are wild animals, it's dangerous to stay here."
"But they are my friends!" The girl replies with nonchalance.
Regina suppresses a roll of her eyes. "Sweetheart, please!" She insists. "Come with me. If their mommy comes back, she won't appreciate it when she sees you with her babies."
Dawn knits her brow. "Why?"
"Because she will think you're going to harm them. Now come!"
"But I'm not-"
"Dawn!" Regina cuts her off firmly, suddenly alert, her expression so tensed her daughter freezes. "Come to me. Now," she says with a tone that doesn't leave any room for argument. Her voice is urgent, her eyes wide and pleading. The mother of the little boars has just spotted her daughter, and if Dawn doesn't move out of the way very soon...
Dawn must have realized the dangerous situation, because she's staring at the adult boar with worried eyes, then glances at Regina. "Mommy?"
"Get up slowly, sweetheart. No sudden moves. Come towards me," she explains as Dawn does as she's told.
The boar's tail and mane are erected, its head straight, eyes fixed on Dawn. Then, the animal groans a deep and threatening sound that Regina recognizes immediately. There's no time left, so she urges, "Dawn, now!"
The little girl starts running towards her, Regina crouching to scoop her up in her arms as the wild boar charges at her. She catches her daughter, but the animal is still after them, so Regina runs, holding her daughter who's clutching to her. As she hears the boar follow, an idea strikes her. She won't confront an adult wild boar protecting its children with the simple knife attached to her belt, she's no match and killing a mother would leave the babies unprotected. But she can stop it without harming it.
"Hold on tight," she warns Dawn, the little girl's grip tightening around her neck.
Regina suddenly stops and turns around to face the boar, and holds up her hand in front of her. The animal doesn't have time to stop before the blast of magic hits it, stopping it right in its track. A little stunned, it takes a moment to recover, giving enough time for Regina to hide behind a bush. If it doesn't see them, it should stop chasing them. And indeed, after maybe a minute, Regina hears the animal stray from where it was in the opposite direction, grunting a little on its way.
Regina lets out the breath she was holding, and releases her hold on her daughter. But Dawn doesn't. The little girl is clinging to her with all her strength, shaking, breathing heavily in her neck. When Regina tries to pull back, Dawn tightens her grip, letting out a small sob, to which her mother responds with a comforting hand rubbing her back, and kisses on her head.
"Shhh, sweetheart. It's okay now. Everything is okay my princess. You're safe. I've got you. Mommy's here."
She stays there until her daughter calms down, until her fear fades, sobs subsiding, keeping up the soothing touches and words, reveling in this intimacy they haven't shared in quite a while. When Dawn finally feels ready to pull back, she looks up at her mother with puffy eyes that Regina quickly wipes tenderly with her thumb, before pressing another kiss to her daughter's forehead. She should scold her for her recklessness, Regina thinks, but Dawn learned the lesson by herself. A simple warning will do.
"Are you feeling better?" She asks softly.
Dawn wordlessly nods, pressing her head on Regina's shoulder.
"Now," her mother resumes, brushing her hair away from her forehead. "You know it's not safe to explore the forest on your own." Another silent nod. "Good. Do you want to resume our plan to play by the river?" She asks with a more cheerful tone.
Dawn's nod is a bit more enthusiastic this time, and she attempts a small smile. "Sorry, mommy."
Regina is taken back by the sudden and unexpected apology, and she's not quite certain what Dawn is apologizing for, but it doesn't matter right now. Her daughter needs to feel safe, and loved, and that's something Regina can definitely do.
"That's alright, my princess." She gets up from her crouched position, keeping Dawn in her arms. She has a feeling her daughter isn't ready to be put down right now. "Come on! Let's go to the river."
The walk to the river is short and quiet, one of Regina's hands brushing Dawn's forehead soothingly, the child's head resting on her mother's shoulder. When Regina spots the blanket and untouched baskets, she sighs in relief. Wild animals could have ransacked everything.
She's about to put Dawn on the ground, but her daughter whines and grips her neck, forbidding her to release her.
"Dawn, sweetie," Regina begins, kneeling down. "Look at me." She pulls on the girl's arms unsuccessfully. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I'm right here with you."
She feels her daughter beginning to let go, and her voice murmur in her ear. "Promise?"
Well, her insecurity isn't totally gone, obviously. She still needs reassurance and to be certain that her mother will always be here for her. So Regina sits down crossed-legged, helping her daughter on her lap and keeping her close.
"I promise you, my beautiful princess," she assures, the tip of her forefinger poking Dawn's nose and making her giggle. "I will always, always, be here for you, because you're my little girl and I love you more than anything. I know I hurt you yesterday, and I apologize." Dawn looks at her fidgeting hands at that, so Regina tilts her chin up. "You are my big girl. All I want is for you to be happy. And if it means that you need to spend more time with me, I will make that happen."
The little girl looks up at the last sentence, her eyes surprised but shining, full of hope. Regina sends her the most loving and reassuring smile she possesses, enveloping Dawn from her arms and motherly touch, placing a delicate kiss on her forehead.
"Now," she says when she pulls back, facing her daughter's smile. "Should we bathe in the stream?"
xxx
"... so the sorceress created a bracelet to turn Ariel's tail into legs. That way, the young mermaid princess would simply have to wear the bracelet to be with her human prince Eric, and remove it to visit her family in the ocean."
"And they lived happily forever!" Dawn finishes for her mother, clasping her hands excitedly, her face radiant, staring at the animated figures made of water that Regina magically created to illustrate her story.
The woman laughs at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Yes, sweetheart." She releases her magic, the figures vanishing in front of them as she delicately pushes a strand of blond hair away from Dawn's temple. "They lived happily ever after."
Dawn sighs contently and lets herself fall against her mother's chest, Regina's arms closing over her small frame instantly. "I love stories about princess."
"Did you like this one?" She whispers against her temple, lips closing over her skin for a soft kiss.
"Yes!" Dawn exclaims. "I love your stories mommy," she says while moving to snuggle against her mother's chest, tucking her head under her chin and closing her eyes.
Regina begins to rock her softly, one of her hands brushing her daughter's hair. Between their misadventure this morning, the several hours they spent bathing and playing in the river, their copious lunch, and the mermaid's story, they just had a long and exhausting day. Judging by the way Dawn is rubbing her eyes, she will probably fall asleep very soon. So, Regina focuses on her daughter, on keeping a steady rhythm to let her slip towards sleep peacefully. They should head back, she thinks, but today has been a blessing, a much-needed mother-daughter private time. She loves her twins, but this quietness is more than welcome, and it's been a while since she's been able to enjoy a full day with her big girl.
It doesn't take long for Dawn to fall asleep. Seeing her relaxed beautiful face resting against her chest, makes Regina's heart swell with love. The little girl is perfect, in every way. Nothing can compare with the feeling of holding her daughter against her. Carefully scooting back to rest her back against a tree, Regina settles comfortably, with her child safely tucked in her arms, and closes her eyes. When they go back to the camp, she will be back to her newborn twins, her husband, her grow-up son, her duties. But for now, she'll enjoy some more time with her four-year-old adorable daughter.
