A/N: hello! it's been a long while, but I am back with a short little outlaw queen ficlet for you all! This story will be taking place after the gang defeated Zelena and have all their memories back, only this time, they immediately went back to the Enchanted Forest. It will be four chapters long, and rated M for future chapters. Please read and review and tell me what you think! Enjoy!
Robin loved those dresses. The ones Regina wore too tight, too fitting, so slimming in all the right places, dark and mysterious. He loved them. Robin got a glimpse of them for the first time during the missing year, and though it was a year full of bodacious corsets and deep colors painting her olive skin, it was never enough. He needed more. And ever since they got back to Fairytale Land, Regina hadn't worn a single one.
Well, she had. Just not all together. Towns and passerby almost all the time would fear her just based on her wardrobe so daring, so dark and fit as her evil nature. Now, Regina slipped a few leather pants, a corset or two in, never the whole deal. She reigned with her family now, her whole family, with a hero's mark to her name. Her past was still a part of her, but she would never let it dominate her soul again. She was new, still changing and growing through pure redemption, but damn, Robin loved those dresses. He missed those dresses all too much.
Robin's fleeting thoughts tumbled just as he tripped over a growing root in the dusty road, one of the main routes in the Enchanted Forest. Henry eyed him suspiciously, but needn't let his thoughts transpire, directing his attention back to his mother, who was leading him and Robin to the stables per his request.
With Henry in the Enchanted Forest, and the first time he ever tried to ride a horse with much fail, he was due for a second attempt. And who better to teach him than the equestrian master herself, Regina Mills?
Having ridden horses for years and years, starting just at her youth, Regina was overly delighted to see that Henry wanted to learn, and by her hand, too.
Reaching the stables, Henry nearly stumbled over himself as he ran to choose his steed.
Regina pulls out a horse as black as night for Robin, one with a little kick with sharp wits. She saw his eyes widen. But he's lived in the forest his whole life, how could he possibly be hesitant at all?
"Afraid of a horse, Locksley?" Regina taunted as she grabbed a saddle, not looking in his direction. Robin shoved his hands in his pockets. "I've never ridden."
A smile danced upon Regina's lips, her eyebrows arched in amusement. "All this time in the forest, and you've never ridden a horse? What about a pony?" She threw her head back with a deep, raspy laugh, still doing so as Robin attempted to defend himself. "Don't test me, your majesty," he managed to say while hiding a smile. Oh, he loved her laugh, too.
Regina placed a saddle on Henry's horse, the most whitest and purest out of all of them. As Henry placed a foot in the stirrup, Regina exclaimed with a smirk, "ready to learn and become the fastest, noblest Prince in all the land?"
"Oh, hell yes."
"Papa! I want to learn how to ride too!" The pairing turn their heads to a little Roland, running as fast as his tiny legs could take him right up to them. "Roland, my boy, why aren't you at the castle with Little John?" Roland shrugged. She only laughed, her head falling back at the child. "Her majesty here was going to teach her boy to ride a horse, Roland."
"You want to learn how to ride, Roland?" Regina asked, kneeling down to his level, motherly tone thick on her tongue. Roland looked up to his papa and then turned to her in awe. "Why did papa call you 'majesty'?" he asked innocently.
Robin kneeled down, cupping a hand around Roland's ear, holding him steady as he giggled. After a short moment, Roland's eyes widened and let out a gasp. "You're a queen? Wow!"
The little boy immediately grabs Regina's hand and squeals, placing a tiny kiss on her knuckles. Regina went red, not used to this affection all too much. She was glad that she was able to spend more time with the boy, as she only saw him briefly in the missing year and what little time they spent in Storybrooke. She chuckled softly and pinched his cheek, "you can just call me Regina."
Roland's face lit up. "Queenie Regenie!" Roland chanted, "Queenie Regenie, Queenie Regenie!" he continued, skipping away to the horses.
"Well," Regina breathed a laugh to match Robin's at her side, standing up to full posture, "if Roland is learning, then so are you," she directed at him.
In moments, Regina held Roland's giddy form in her grasp, plopping him down on a dusty brown pony, the color of a sunset. "What's its name?"
"Her name is Hélie," she says with a giggle when the horse licks the tips of Roland's tiny fingers from his outstretched hand. "I think she likes you," she says, ruffling his hair before turning to Henry.
"Henry? Watch Roland, alright? We will be right behind you."
"'We'? With one horse?" Robin questions with an eyebrow raised, pointing toward a lone steed as he approached her. Regina swallowed and gained composure, a threatening yet lustful look overtook her features, "you're getting on with me," she said, pulling the reins of the dark horse closer to them. Regina hopped on with ease, scooting forward so there was enough room for him behind her. "How many opportunities do you get to ride with the Queen?" she smirked.
Robin mirrored her smug smile and clambered up behind her, her back flush to his warm chest. Both their hearts were beating madly, in sync with the horse's hooves as they began to walk. They were a good twenty feet behind Henry and Roland who were riding side by side. They both felt each other smiling at Roland ahead of them, giggling excitedly as he held the reins with pure happiness.
If Regina were to be in her past Evil Queen mindset, she would burn anyone to ashes if they spoke of how she leaned in a little closer to Robin as they rode through the forest. His chest fit so perfectly in the curve of her back and she let out a small sigh. It was, it was perfect and right and everything in between the words 'pure' and 'happiness'. His hands rested gently on her leather-clad hips, holding himself steady as Regina navigated them through the forest.
The way she felt under him, he could imagine it was similar; better, even, if she were beneath him completely, letting her give herself to him wholly. He's wanted to hold her like this for so long, intimacy radiating from her soul. Robin wanted to consume it. He wanted her.
They were only just briefly exclusive in Storybrooke after they defeated the Wicked Witch. What with the war that was brewing in the town, they didn't have much time to be together. But now, enjoying the view of the vast forest with the woman of his dreams pressed up against him, they had all the time in the world.
Regina went rigid as Robin's hands began to move up and over her arms, only to rest over her own on the reins. She didn't flee or falter. She liked the spark she felt exploding in her stomach, the way her cheeks tingled with redness, how her heart felt stronger than ever. She liked his hands there, so close to locking in the perfect puzzle of second chances. She liked it, she liked it so she leaned in more.
Regina felt his breath along her neck, contrasting the cool breeze around them. She tried so hard to keep an eye on Henry and Roland, but they were doing fine, laughing merrily along just a few yards away. Henry was already acting like a big brother even though he and Roland have only known each other for such a short while.
So she felt herself turning her head into Robin, his nose on her temple, breathing in her sweet scent of honey and apples. There was also some sort of spicy scent in her hair that drove him mad. He inched closer to her delicate frame, biting his lip as he felt more of her.
His hands flew to her hips again, wrapping around her stomach suddenly when Regina pulled the reins and kicked, making the horse bolt in seconds. Robin felt the dancing smirk upon her lips when they took off, well past the two boys staring at them in awe. The horse jerked into a full run, kicking up dirt as it went flying past dozens of pine, all a blur. That familiar frown she wore was completely gone, only a smile to take its place. He could drown in it.
They come to a stop when they see the castle in the distance, Regina's balcony in view. "Quite a rocky start we had there, yeah?" Robin said, his arms unraveling from her waist. Regina felt further away from him though he was still pressed against her.
"Well, yes. I mean, I did try to kill you," she exclaimed in a daring tone. Robin quirked a brow, "way to pepper in that fact, m'lady."
Regina raised her brows and looked off to the side, urging him to continue. "But," he hesitated for a moment, "it wasn't all that bad since I got to look at you in those dresses."
Regina licked her lips. "Which one was your favorite?"
Robin suppressed a groan. "The black one. Low cut," he rasped, brushing his lips to her neck, "with feathers and," he trailed open-mouthed kisses along her shoulder, "leather. Tight leather."
Regina let out a shuddered breath, her mind racing with thoughts all conspiring against each other. She composed herself, hiding a smirk beneath trembling lips, turning to him enough to feel his hot breath on her mouth. They locked eyes for a long moment. She got off the horse.
Robin sat there oblivious, blinking a few times at himself before he shook off the dumb pose he was in, sitting straight. He watched her conjure another horse to which she hopped on. She led the horse a few steps forward towards the boys who had just caught up to them. She whipped her head around, "now, Locksley, if you picked up anything I've said the whole time we were riding, though I doubt it very much what with your eyes lurking to other places apart from the task at hand, you'll make it back just in time for supper," she finished with the click of her tongue, her hips swaying along with the horses steps, and Robin shook his head reminding himself for the umpteenth time that his safety was a lot more important than how her body continues to entrance him.
He made it back to the castle with a few bruises, and wouldn't dare let Regina know that he fell off the horse once or twice behind her. Or even the matter that he has fallen for her deeply, completely, too.
They gathered around a rather large table in the dining hall, the top of it lined with a feast fit for a thousand armies. Regina sat in between the boys with Robin across from her, and the rest of the royal family snuggling in close next to each other.
Robin brought his Merry Men along too, and Emma could have sworn the whole kingdom could've been there. Though she focused more on the food put out in front of her, grimacing as she was reminded about the meal she shared with Snow and Lancelot. She chose a salad.
The night pressed on with jokes that made everyone sputter on wine, stories that left worrisome folk shuddering in their boots. But most of all, the talk of the night all came from Roland, chipping away at his Papa and Regina.
" - I saw them, they got reaaaal close," Roland exclaimed unbeknownst to how Regina or Robin felt. The whole table chuckled as Roland continued to talk up a storm about the pair, embarrassing his father when he announced that Regina had to teach him how to ride.
"- and Papa, you know I'm a better horsie rider than you!" he pointed in fake-accusation to his father, who put up his hands in defense with a laugh.
"So what do you think about Regina and -" Snow started next to Roland before his light, flitting voice subdued her own. "Oh, Gina? She's real pretty," he said, turning to Regina herself with the biggest smile.
"Papa thinks she's really pretty too," he mumbled to himself as he shoved a mouthful of potatoes in his mouth. Regina blinked. "What was that, Roland?" Robin asked, flustered. He refused to make eye contact with her.
"You think Gina's the prettiest queen in all the land," Roland answered, still looking at his plate as if it was something of unimportance. Regina clasped her hands in front of her mouth. "Tell me, thief, when did you tell your son this?"
"Oh he didn't tell me," the boy cut in, "I can just see it. The way he looks at you. His face is so silly, too," he starts to giggle, cheeks a cherry red and probably hurting with all the smiling he's been doing that night.
"Ah ha," Regina followed slowly, her eyes trailing back to Robin's. He chewed the inside of his lip as he felt hot redness creep up his neck. He looked at her and lost it.
"Can you blame me, m'lady?" he said, his accent thick and inviting. Regina tightened her jaw. "I can rip your heart out, thief," she taunted.
"You already have it," Robin breathed and Regina knew he meant all of him. She felt the blood rush through her veins. She could feel her heartbeat pulsing behind her eyelids. Oh, she had him alright. But he wouldn't have her, not yet. Just not quite yet.
Later, Robin caught up with Regina who was taking Henry to bed. When she saw him she pushed Henry along to his room, "go on Henry," she said, kissing the top of his head, "I'll be right there."
Regina turned to Robin fully with her arms crossed in front of her chest. He looked deeply into her eyes before pressing his lips to her own. She melted into him, kissing him like they've done this for years and years, but with the same amount of passion as the first. It was familiar and intoxicating, the way he parted her lips to let his hot tongue slip in. He was undoing her at the stitching of her plump, parted lips completely submissive to his own.
Robin pulled her close and she let him. She let him have her now, only giving him doses of her in increments, wanting him to fall to the edge of the earth right before her. She opened her eyes before his lips left her own, staring into his blue that she's sure she's drowned in already.
Robin held her arms and shook them with assurance, "so I'll see you later, with one of those dresses?"
"Later?" Regina drawled. "Later," he repeated. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him firmly. After a moment, they parted slowly, Robin's eyes fluttering open to meet heavy ones. He could never get over them. He could never get over her.
"As you wish," she rasped before retreating. The further she stepped away, marking a path for Henry's room, the more the rules of her wicked game set in stone. Oh, she'd give him what he wanted. But good things come to those who can wait, and Regina hoped he learned this when he went to look for her that night in her bedchambers, empty, only to be found sleeping soundlessly next to her son in the other room. He almost missed the small smirk that lingered on her lips as she slept, knowing he was just unraveling at the seams as he watched her sleep until dawn.