Chapter 7- Meeting her husband
it's the blood pooling beneath Robins body that propels Regina into action.
"Take Roland out of here!" She shouts at Belle who instinctively wraps her arms around the boy. "NO! Want to see papa! Papa!" Roland screams over and over again but he is instantly whisked away.
"Robin! Robin can you hear me?" Regina turns her husband to his side and onto her lap, causing him to cough more phlegm and blood. She feels utterly helpless, her mind racing a mile a minute trying to think of something, anything to do.
She heaves him up to a half sitting position as best as she can, lying down only agitates wet coughs and though he still is leaning back heavily against her shoulders the coughing slows. She hears him take a few wheezes of breath.
"That it, just, just breathe ok? You'll be fine, you'll be alright" she aims to be soothing but she knows she misses the mark and when one of Robins bloody hands grasps one of her shaky ones and entwines their fingers together she feels tears slip down her cheeks. She should have known something was drastically wrong, she have not doubted her husband's character and now, now it might cost him his life.
She shifts until she can look him in the eyes and her hearts breaks all over when she does. His blue orbs are clear as a winter's sky the day after a huge storm. But they carry so much pain, guilt and anguish that she feels her chest tighten with pain, she finds herself talking as she tightens her grip on one of his hands while wiping the blood of his face with her dress "you're going to be fine Robin you're going to be fine"
She strokes her husband's cheek and he opens his mouth to speak "sorry-"
"Shh its fine, your fine. Please, please just, just hold on, fight this-" her sentence breaks as she sobs, she was a fool. She had been so busy feeling sorry for herself that she had forgotten to look after the man who had come to mean so much to her, a fact she has denied till now. She feels warm calloused fingers, tremblingly wipe her tears and she can't help but place a hand on them and press his palm to her cheek, burying her face in his hand crying freely, she was going to lose another man she cared for. His hand goes limp in her hold and slips unceremoniously alarming to the fact that he has lost consciousness
"ROBIN! ROBIN PLEASE PLEASE OPEN YOUR EYES" he does not move her fears heighten ten times over with each passing moment.
This is the scene Granny and the others rush in to see;
"It's poison!" The old women states firmly "look at the black blood, he must have been receiving it for a while" she looks panicked and fearful "his pulse is weak, he has a fever. Lungs sound congested"
"How?" Killian asks "how is he being poisoned? Why the phlegm? Why the the blood in his lungs?"
It's as though their voices are miles away as Regina feels an old memory bubble to the fore front of her mind:
She had been hiding in the library when she had heard her mother and sister talking about a Duke who had recently died;
"I take it the new method works" her mother had asked offhandedly and her sister had chuckled in response "oh yes, I just rubbed it on his chest during our last 'session' together, the fool didn't feel a thing and of course didn't see a thing the substance being clear and all. The idiot deserved it though, threatening to announce our dalliance to the king and all" Cora had nodded absentmindedly in return "and to think all he had to do to save himself was to peel the patches off" the two women had laughed as Regina had escaped through a window.
Regina feels air overwhelm her lungs and she is left gasping, trying desperately to take a breath. Slowly she begins to hear the others "...too much for her, get her out" she hears David's voice first and feels a hand on her shoulder but she won't have it. Won't have them drag her out when she might have an answer.
Pushing aside the hand she reaches down for her husband and in one swoop tears his shirt in two. The silence is deafening as Regina desperately searches her husband's bare torso for any signs of the clear patches "you've gone mad girl?" Granny tugs at her arm but Regina ignores her "patches, he is being poisoned by clear patches" she can't find them, knows in her heart that is the problem but can't seem to find the damn patches.
Robin begins to cough once more and the others suddenly begin talking at once and Regina is now not only scarred but furious.
Furious at whoever has done this, put her husband at risk, created so much heartache for all of them, for Robin, for her, for Roland; Her sweet boy who's last memory of his father might be the day where Robin was at his worst and by no fault of his own.
She won't have it, her son will not lose his father and she will not have another man she cares about die in her arms.
She desperately looks about for anything, when she sees an ashen hand print on Emma's cheek and is instantly on her feet, rushing toward the hearth.
She covers her hand with ash until they are black before rushing toward her husband once more and rubbing the black substance all over his form.
On the left shoulder is where she finds the first patch, it shaped like a hand print and she is claws at it desperately. The more dirt the patch is exposed to the more prominent it becomes until Regina peels it off and reveals her husband's blue and pruned skin. She continues on unaware of the other dirty hands which join the process. Each patch they peel oozes water and when the last patch is found on his hand Granny has her ushered out.
"He needs a thorough medical exam and you need to go check your boy for patches and yourself if Robin had some on his hand it could have been transferred onto either of you, go to your boy" Granny speaks blocking her way as David, Mulan and Killian move Robin onto his bed, while Regina looks on worried barely registering Emma and Ruby tugging at her.
"He can't die" Regina tries to be intimidating, demanding but her voices wavers and sounds much too hoarse. The old woman simply orders her out again and Regina lets the other drag her out. She hears Roland's cries before she enters Belle's hut and Roland tackles her before she is a step in the room.
"Want Papa! They won't let me see papa!" He wails and Regina scoops him up and holds him tight, rocking him back and forth trying, desperately trying to keep herself together. "Papa sick mama. He wanted me away and I said no and now his sick, he's sick cause I said no" and Regina hushes him and banishes the guilt firmly "hush my little dragon. You need to listen to me well Roland, your papa was sending you away because he was sick. He was hurt by bad people Rolli but he is strong and beat them, he loves you. It wasn't your papa who sent you away but the bad stuff the bad guys gave your papa that had him confused" Roland sniffles and peeks up at her his stuffed dragon firmly tucked between him and Regina "papa not sick because of me?" His voice is so small and unsure that it makes Regina want to murder whoever has done this all over again.
"No my dragon and don't worry Granny is taking care of your papa while I make sure that none of the bad stuff that your papa has, didn't get to me or you" she picks up her boy easily asking Ruby for spare clothe for both of them before heading toward the local hot spring cave.
Roaring fires light the series of caves, and Regina carries her son to the most secluded spring. Robin dislikes the personal spring designated for the royal family, rarely uses it. Now though, Regina revels in the privacy as she rubs the black charcoal all over her son who finds the situation ridiculously entertaining. His laughs and giggles lift her spirit a bit and soon enough he is cleared, washed and dressed, ready to go with Belle to get some dinner while Ruby stays behind to help her do a check as well; though Regina knows much like Roland she will have no patches.
"Mama, you take care of papa after?" Roland is bundled in a blanket and Regina smiles and kisses his brow "I need you to be good for Belle and Ruby, Roland. because after I clean up, I promise you to go straight over and take care of your papa" Roland smiles and gives her an Eskimo kiss echoing a "I promise I be good" before scurrying off taking with him Regina's calm demeanor leaving only her worries and fears with her.
She makes it back to her hut in record time, shivers have taken over Robin's form and he seems to be going in and out of consciousness. Granny looks unhappy to see her and tries to shoo her away, telling her she needs food. Regina ignores her. "The patches trap water and slowly drown a person inside out. These ones though they were dusted with pompey essence"
Killian and Emma both swear under their breath and Regina doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. Because she knows theses herbs, knows that they are the most torturous form of hallucinogenic, often used for torture. Pompey seeds are better known as the fear facer for they cause a person's deepest fears to bubble to the surface. Roland forgetting Marian was one of her husband's fears; she knew this before this episode. The rest of his fears begin to surface as the delusions and fever slowly grip him.
At first the outbursts are small, he begs a figment to leave a girl be. He sees his mother begs her to run while he yells at his father to let her and the child be.
Killian and David are required to hold him down during this nightmare while Granny pulls her back "he's not himself girl. If- when he wakes any scratch on you will weigh heavily on his already guilty soul" her sentence is half confusing at best.
Regina waits with baited breath, minutes tick to hours and the hours accumulate to half a day. The moon is high and the rest of the village half asleep while their leader fights for his life. Robin thrashes wildly elbowing Killian in the eye at a point and nearly throwing David completely in his delirium, she fears for him, for them and finally she can't stand it anymore.
"ROBIN PLEASE! FIGHT IT!"
His response is instant as he freezes causing Killian and David to collide into him his eyes wildly search the room "Regina..." her name is uttered in disbelief and she pushes past Granny and is instantly at his side clasping his hand in her own.
His eyes search hers and she can tell he is lucid now if only for a moment "Regina," he repeats the name over and over again, each time reaffirming his grasp on her hand.
"Ssshhh it's alright, I'm here-"
He shakes his head "NO!no, not alright I'm, I'm sick" he looks frantic and she nods her head placing a damp cloth on his forehead as he lets her ease him back until he lays once more on the bed.
"I'm sick, really sick." He warns her over and over again.
She tries to sooth him but he seems adamant to speak and so she plays along "yes Robin you're sick, but we figured it out. You'll be alright soon" she tries to smile confidently but knows that all she is offering is a grimace at best.
"I, I failed. Hurt your, hurt Roland" Coughs rack him so bad that his chest vibrates beneath her palm and cause her to look at Granny for help but the older women just stares back at her helplessly. "Robin, that wasn't you! You were poisoned" she needs him to stop blaming himself, for she truly feels responsible. Robin had been nothing but kind, patient and courteous with her for months, opening his house, trusting her with his people, his son and she had believed the worse in him at the first sign of his anger. She should have known something was wrong should have known that a man who spent month being kind, for the most part, would not turn and be monster the next day just because.
"I, I hurt you! I made you cry! Made Roland cry-" he goes on and on talks about upsetting her, speaking about how he trapped her, shackled her, how he has not had a chance to tell her of the choices she has, on and on, he lists how he has wronged her and Roland and half of the village but it always comes to her. His body is furnace, he shivers constantly and Regina fears the high fever will leave lasting consequences on his health.
She lets him go on, lets him speak and only repeats "it'll be fine" as she dabs a cool cloth over his forehead and neck until he drifts off, her hand clutched tightly in his.
Some one always stays with her, it makes her upset for even in his worst moments under the influence of several drugs he never hurt her physically, now his lucid moment are usually filled with apologies and lists of amends.
During one of his lucid moments, Robin makes Granny promise to tell Regina what he has not yet. And so Granny tells her of her dowry, or rather funds on the second night her husband has swayed off to a restless and feverish sleep. "He asked me to tell you, the night before your wedding but, I was kicked out of the preparations without his knowledge in the last minute. The other elders felt he was being weak in his actions. They would not grant your dowry to you personally. He was livid when he found out, secured the funds personally. The gold, it's yours. Should you chose to leave, to disappear he won't blame you none of us will, especially not after this"
Regina thinks over her knew choice and wants to laugh. What choice? She was desperately in love with her son and half in love with her boy's father, not that she would ever admit the second part. She doesn't tell Granny any of this, only in tiered tone says she and Robin will talk when he gets better and indeed she is beginning to believe it will be a "when" rather than an, "if". Granny snorts at the comment but says no more
. One of the last delusions to grip Robin is Marian, the late Queen. He speaks directly to Regina, mistaking one Queen for another, Regina who sits at his side quietly as Robins delusion seems to do the talking in her husband's mind. Even though his coughs are horrible and his fever at an all time high, he speaks to her peacefully. He speaks of Roland, of Granny, of the village and even of Regina.
"He loves her, a lot, like she has always been here in our life" his gaze is transparent but Marian must be amused for Robin wheezes a laugh "yes, yes she loves him as her own, spend more time with the rascal than anyone else. She is a force unlike any other I have ever seen, Marian. You two would have either been the best of friends or the worst sort of enemies" he rasps a laugh at his own joke and speaks of David and the other before he grows quite after a while, becoming utterly still.
So still, that for a moment Regina worries but then, ever so quietly she hears him speak once more "goodbye my dove" and he falls into a peaceful sleep while his fever rages on.
She wonders if he will remember this dream when he wakes and hopes he does. She does not envy or scorn him for this moment, even though the people compare her to the previous Queen, Regina only feels gratitude for the women who had given birth to Roland. As for Robin, she knows what he must be feeling for she too has dreamt of Daniel. She too has bid her farewell, many times over now. It was a year of dreaming before she was able to say goodbye to his figment for the first time and since, well since he has visited her less and less with each passing season.
She thinks about her Daniel and Robin's Marian and wonders if first love was always meant to be so utterly devastating.
OQ
On the morning of the fourth day she wakes to a series of light movements beneath her palm. Robin has barely let her out of his sight let alone of his hold and she has been adamant to be at his side. Her dreams are plagues with him dying over and over again. Granny had bit her tongue for a bit before forcing her onto the bed next to her husband.
Her hand simply rests beneath his, as his thumb dances over her skin. His gaze is calm and clear as he sits leaning heavily against the headboard, "you should be resting, try to sleep more" surprising the line comes from him.
She can't help but smile in relief "I am resting she counters. He says nothing but his gaze searches hers, he is beyond troubled and it is clearly evident in his eyes. Coughs begin to rack his form and she is instantly up pouring him tea and bringing it to him. He accepts the cup with a hoarse "thank you" and she sits on the edge of the bed as he takes small sips.
"You're ok, Roland is ok, and everyone is fine" she tries to sooth, to reassure and is surprised when his hand finds and tightens about hers "are you ok?" And she nods but he is not convinced, seeing straight through her.
"I'm glad I did not create permanent damage, but I know we are not ok. I hurt you, badly" he takes a ragged breath "I, I, there is so much I need to tell you" more coughs rack his form and Regina looks alarmed but slowly the coughs ease. She implore him to take another long drink before she begins "Granny told me of the gold, of my choice" he nods earnestly "it's a choice, only a choice I promise, your choice. I promise, doesn't have to do with Roland calling you ma-" she stops him "I know, believe me I know" for she does.
She has seen the paper that carries his oath and word giving her the gold and not only is it old and worn but it has her father's signature on it as well. He had planned to give her a choice from the beginning it seems.
"I'm sorry, for not telling you sooner for, not realizing I was sick for, reacting to Roland and you as I did." his voice is utterly sincere though speaking is obviously taxing on him.
Fire cracks and they are both quiet, unsure. Regina doesn't want to have this talk, not now, perhaps not ever. All she cares is that Robin is alive but she knows that they need to speak and that they both crave some form of peace and honesty, especially, after the events that have just transpired.
"We can't-we can't do this every time we disagree on something, can't fight like this. This time was different but if we fight as we did;" she pauses and rubs at her temple "Roland wouldn't survive it; I won't survive it" she pauses "I don't think you'll survive it" she drops her head onto her hand and closes her eyes, looking at him as she speaks right now is a bit too much.
Robin sighs and nods "you're rig-" he freezes and Regina opens an eye and sees him transfixed with horror on her wrist where a faded yellow and green bruise is visible. Regina is baffled by his reaction "it's nothing" but Robin reaches for the hand and with feather light touches traces that finger marks.
"I hurt you" and he sounds horrified and Regina senses something bigger at play "Robins it ok, it's fine" but instead of reassuring him it causes his head to snap up with panic engulfing his expression "No, promise me Regina promise me!" he grasps both her hands in his, holding them without any pressure at all "it's not ok. If I hurt you like this again, you or Roland or any one promise me you'll take him, promise me you'll leave" and he's rambles on and on that he's a monster, just as he feared, just as his father and Regina suddenly understands.
She has her own version of the fear tucked inside. She tries to get his attention but he is on a roll, fear gripping him completely.
It's with certainty that she grasps his face and makes him focus "Robin, you will not hurt me or Roland, not on purpose any way" she is certain of that, he might cause them grief but Robin would never strike either. Regina knows that as she much as she knows her name "I already have" he is beyond upset "more than just your wrist" he tries to detangles himself but Regina will not budge "You will never, be, your father" and the relief in his eyes at those words is great.
Her words should not have that great of an effect. They have barely spoken to each other and therefore should not know one another much.
All this is true, but they know and respect each other. Seven month of living and working and studying each other, reveals more than each is comfortable to admit they both realize now. It is this moment, that many month later, the duo will pinpoint, as the exact moment that revealed to each, how intertwined they had become in each other's life.
Regina lets her hands fall from his face and she looks down, the mark isn't even that bad, "your hold wasn't even that tight I was struggling too much I suspect" and Robin seems more composed when he takes her hand and examines her bruise before placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles, still miles away.
"My father was a great warrior; but a sorry excuse of father and husband. His temper sky rocketed when drunk" he looks her straight in the eye now and Regina think that his lack of taste for drinking suddenly makes sense "I vowed to never be like him. A vow I thought I had kept, till today"
She trade his story, his fear, for one of her own "my mother is the cruelest women you will ever meet" Regina tell him "she was never physical but always belittled me and pit me and my sister against each other, she also likes to meddle. Her greatest joy, is to find a person's weakest point and throw it back in their face before rubbing salt all over it with small comments and exploiting them till they are of no use to her"
Regina levels her gaze with Robin's "I too vowed never to be like her, I thought I had managed, until our fight. My comment about Marian was insensitive and rude" Robin lowers her hand but does not let go "but I had upset you, unjustly so" he argues "and I you" Regina counters.
Robin gives a bitter half smile, closing his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief, sighing before looking at her "promise me that at the first hint, you will leave. That you will take Roland and leave" he is dead serious and that's how Regina knows she has little to worry about in this regard "only if you will promise to stand up to me if I ever start belittling and manipulating you or Roland"
Robin nods "Done. I am still so sorry for everything," Regina nods she can tell his but still something bother's her too much for her to keep quiet about "Pompey seeds, they bring to life our deepest fears." She knows what she is about to say is of sensitive nature, but she won't give up Roland, not now not ever "I know, you're sorry. I also know and believe how you reacted wasn't truly your fault. But Robin, you can't do this. Can't hold my lack of blood relations with Roland over my head for the rest of our lives. You, married me, and through it gave me the best gift of all and while I will be eternally grateful I won't let you use it to control me-"
"I won't I promise. I don't, I don't even mind. Not really I actually- I'm happy." he swears and rakes a hand through his hair clearly frustrated at his poor communication skills. She wants to believe him and she does, she supposes but only time can tell
"Are you ok with him calling me mama?" Regina is direct and in response Robin grasps her other hand "Yes, Regina I am." He pauses clearly weighing his word "but it wasn't just that fear that had me sending him away Regina" and when he looks up Regina feels perplexed "then what did you fear?" anger seeps in her tone.
"I had thought to send him away three month ago" he confesses and she goes rigid but before she can pull back he tightens his grasp on her hands, gently "I, I didn't know how close the two of you were becoming, which is my own folly I admit. I thought that you were fond of him and he of you I had not realized exactly how intertwined we had all become until his birthday two weeks ago and by then I was too addled" and Regina is mad but can understand, beside the sporadic evening meals they have never been each other's company as one family. Usually it was one of them interacting with Roland "Why had you thought about sending him away months ago" Regina demands and Robin lets out a breath and his face grow grim.
"Three month ago was the first time I received a demand to hand you over, as a bride for Prince Hans" and Regina feels air leave her lungs "what!?" She is clearly shocked "I thought that if there was a chance you might leave, I would want to stop Roland from being too attached to you in case you did choose to leave us. Regina, you have not been happy in my company. If you wished to leave I wouldn't have refused you but I would have wanted to spare Roland the loss of another mother" and Regina cannot fault him for she too would want to spare their child from becoming attached to someone who may up and leave.
"I received another letter from your mother telling me she had called you home, but when you made no move to leave I figured you must have decided to stay" and she had, she had laughed at the thought of leaving "so I figured I had more time to see but when Roland asked...I never meant to hurt either of you but by then I was truly not in control. I was blinded by fear that he was forgetting his mother, yes and many other thoughts that were amplified because of the herbs. In my stupidity I let my fear turn into anger" he pleads with her to understand.
"I know and I don't fault you. But you never spoke with me about what you thought of the changes around us, before the poisoning I mean" Regina points out "and Robin you have not moved on, how can you expect your boy do so when you clearly have not?" Regina can't help but point out; Robin shakes his head and runs a hand down his face. A new series of coughs take over, making Regina aware of his paler complexion, fatigue is setting in.
"You are right I should have spoken to you but I have moved on Regina, I have; Marian is gone and I know that and have made my peace with it for a time now. It's not me which I worry about in regards to Marian but Roland, I just never knew how to keep her memory alive and he used ask for stories but the last years he has stopped doing so and I haven't heard him pestering others for tales and I grow worried. In my nightmare it wasn't just Marian who visited me, it was people who are living who also appeared and accused me of many things. I know it must be hard to believe that simple herbs caused me to lose myself so badly but I promise you I never would have acted as I have. These fears are a part of me I wished no one would ever have to witness. Especially not you or Roland" His voice is growing hoarse once more as he speaks.
Regina wants to end the conversation and let him rest but she shares one more secret "I believe you Robin, for I too have been exposed to these seeds and I know, perfectly, how out of control you must have felt. This why I am not angry, just relieved that you are ok and healing"
Robin feels warmth bloom in him but he rather voice his guilt "I am sorry you had to go through that, and I am sorry you got the brunt of my illness. But I thank you for fighting me, for taking care of everything as I know you have while I have been ill. It was your punch that put things in perspective really" Regina can't help the smile as Robin looks at her with teasing eyes "you're welcome" she utters the words softly; Suddenly too aware of their proximity and the intimate setting.
They stare at one another this husband and wife, these two strangers "We can't go on like we have so far" Robins gaze is locked on hers and she feels her inside twist over and again but she wills herself to speak calmly "No we can't, living two separate lives would work if we didn't have Roland but we do and he comes first" and Robin gives a small smile "that he does, but Regina," he pauses and looks to his side and she sees her wedding knife there and swallows "Roland will grow" and she understands that he is asking after their own marriage, asking what she want. And there is a second where she wants to ask him to give it a real go.
But the she hears his voice telling Granny that he had felt 'Disgusted' and she already has given it a real go, the ball is in his court. He misinterprets her silence "I know you were engaged Regina if you need more time-" and Regina shakes her head sees his curiosity and seizes the chance to change the conversation. She tells him of Daniel. The stable boy who was killed two years ago, when she first was to be engaged to a man twice Robin's age.
"He died in my arms" and although her tone is tiered and sad he can tell that the scene she describes does not haunt her nightmares any more "his last words to me were to love again"
This time it is Robin who offers the trade and tells her of Marian, who had left nobility for her rebellious lover and how she had fought with him until they had won the land. They had been ruling for two years when Roland had been born.
"Do you wish to leave Regina? Be honest, please" his form is slumping, his energy clearly spent, but his gaze still locked on hers.
"Do you want me gone? Be honest with me first" she asks and sees complete certainty as Robin shakes his head indicating no.
"I don't want you to leave, not unless you want to" his answer is simple but direct and to the point.
"I don't want to be anywhere else. I like it here" she answers back honestly as she helps Robin lay onto his back as sleep begins to cloud him and his eyes begin to droop.
"I'm glad" Robin's words are spaced out as his eyes droop "I like having you here too" his words a bare whisper but they cause heat to bloom on Regina's cheek as she scolds her heart for fluttering in her chest.
OQ
The next day she stands quietly out of sight as Robin make all three of his most trusted commanders swear an oath to physically remove and detain him should he ever begin to act like he had. She shouldn't be eavesdropping but can't help herself.
"What was going through your mind?" it's Killian who pushes and Regina can see Robin search for answers, for a moment she sees his eyes glaze but instantly her husband hunches over grasping at his forehead, his face displaying the pain he is in.
"Robin, it's too soon you have been exposed to the poison for more than a month perhaps-"
"No," Robin pushes the word out through clenched teeth, "no, it was. There was voices, Marian came so did her mother. She was weeping, said I forgot about her, that I let Roland forget her. My father too, his voice taunted me..."
His sentences are broken, he is clearly unsure. Not able to recognize which of his visions came before his fever which during, Regina can see sweat accumulate on his brow due to the pressure he is putting on himself.
"Robin enough! Your queen will have all our necks if you get yourself sicker, enough!" David stands and brings herbal tea, probably cold by now to Robin, who finally relents and accepts the tea with a small nod.
"What I don't understand is how they knew that the seeds would work? Pompey seeds are effective because they slowly drive a person mad, these people were willing to be extremely patient" Mulan mutters and the other three frown, thinking about the events.
"Well the execution of the poison was well planned; Robin shook hands and sparred with hundreds of people during the king's summit, there is no way to know which administered the poison. The patches alone would have killed him in another few weeks easily. Pompey on the other hand could have been used as a trigger, once kick started with emotional stress it works rapidly" David's expertise of plants rival Granny's, but still Killian looked unconvinced.
"Using it as a trigger would mean knowing what Roland would ask for his birthday, not even Regina knew, her surprise was all over her face and those two are pretty good about sharing secrets. no assassin could have seen that coming"
"They didn't" Robins voice is miles away as is his gaze "they were banking on a different event activating the seeds, Marian's anniversary"
And like that the pieces fall into place "of course, everyone knows that Marian passed a month after Roland's birthday, if it had not been for Roland's request, by the time we would have found the patches and the poison it would have been too late." Mulan concludes.
Regina tries not to think how she could have lost her man for a second time.
She can sense the others are about to leave and therefore enters the room, sending a greeting to the occupants.
"Roland needs to see you" Regina is firm in her demand, yesterday Robin had been slipping in and out of sleep. Today though, he has managed to keep a few spoons of soup down as well as entertain visitors, none of which who are his young son. Roland's name has him smiling at first but a second later his face morphs, first into worry then a hint of fear before it's masked over.
"I don't want him to see me like this" he grumbles softly but Regina knows that he has deep guilt, has heard him just talk to his brothers about both Regina and Roland. "Really? So it's ok to have your caption help you hobble to see your boy through pouring rain, secretly I may add, when Roland is asleep only hours after you're conscious but not ok to have Roland visit you?"
Robin looks at her with surprise while Killian looks anywhere but her, clearly neither had thought she would notice. Killian bolts when Robin looks to him for help "Good luck mate, you're on your own. It was all his idea Regina" he is out the door in a flash followed by Mulan and David who both shake their heads half in humor, half in exasperation and wish her good luck.
Robin mumbles excuses but Regina won't have it, not anymore, both her boys are hurting. "Roland is sick" the one sentence has Robin looking at her with such a worry and panic that she almost feels bad. It seems her husband has felt nothing but those two emotions these past few days "Nothing big a simple chill he caught from sneaking out, he kept trying to come in and see you. One of scouts usually found him and took him back to Ruby. Who I might add is bringing our boy here to rest. He is more like you than you realize Robin" her husband shakes his head in disbelief. And though he now has a fond smile on his face, worry and heartbreak doesn't leave his features; she knows they won't leave until Robin sees Roland with his own eyes. "He knows that it was not your fault and if anything blames himself for not leaving. Thinks it was him coming back that got you sick. I don't want to make you feel guilty, believe me. But he needs you just as you need him"
Before either can say a word more Ruby enters with an ailing and half asleep Roland in her arms. Regina goes straight over and takes Roland from her, quietly thanking the girl as she exits. Realizing the son and the father are both running a high fever, though Roland is also congested and coughing up phlegm; Regina walks the boy over to their bed. Gently rubbing circles on his back, she wakes their son "Roland, Roland. Wake up my sleepy dragon" slowly the boy stirs and at first simply smiles at Regina. A blink later and his features turn into a frown as he sits up, realizing where he is and ends up starring at his father who is smiling at him.
"Hey, buddy I heard someone sneaked out of their room" Robins voice is light and teasing, sound almost exactly as it had before all this ordeal, but Roland's small face remains shocked before fat tears begin to well up in his eyes and tumble over his chubby cheeks as shock gives way to overwhelming relief "Papa!" the small boy wails and Robin doesn't waist a second before gathering his crying boy in his arm, rocking Roland and holding him tight in his embrace.
Robin burry's his nose in his sons hair, taking comfort in the fact that his son was safely nestled in his arm. He showers kisses all over his boy head all the while mumbling apologies upon apologies telling Roland how good he had been, how brave he had been and how proud Robin was of the little boy for taking care of Regina. Telling his boy how much he loves him. All the while Roland chants "I missed you papa, I missed you" his sentence muffled by Robins embrace and high pitch due to his crying.
"Granny said bad people gave you special medicine that made you act funny like you did" is the first sentence Roland says when he finally calms enough to coherently speak.
"Yes Roland they did and I am so sorry my silly behavior caused you and mama grief and sadness. Roland simply snuggles deeper in this father arms as they lay in the huge bed "you're ok now that's what matters."
Regina is more than happy to watch father and son spend time together but first she must attend to Roland. Slightly opening the window on her side of the bed and pulling the curtains to their rooms entrance which are situated on Robin's side of the bed she settles herself on Roland's other side.
It's a seasonal ailment one Regina has seen before and when she looks closer is certain that Robin is only tiered, ridiculously so. So while she helps Roland out of his outerwear she kindly tells Robin that rest is what he needs and being close to Roland might help. The man still looks beyond concerned but once Regina makes and applies a soothing herb to the her boys chest and the boy takes a clear breath after coughing up a good deal of phlegm, Robin deflates unto the mattress next to his boy, looking beyond relieved.
"Gina" Roland croaks "yes sweets" Regina answers softly, relieved that her little dragon is better "me and papa are sick" he states factually and Regina can't help but chuckle "I know I'm making tea with special herbs, did the paste help?" And Roland nods and turns toward his papa "snuggle papa?" He asks and Regina sees the fearsome king melt under the gaze of his sons big brown orbs. Roland squirms into his arm, though he does not stay there long for his father gathers the grey dragon and begins tickling Roland, who now can't stop laughing.
Regina laughs at their antics, enjoying her family, until Roland tackles his father and the covers are thrown and for the first time in since his sickness Regina realizes her husband's state of undress. She feels her inside enflame as Robin tickles their boy and for a moment Regina is transported back to that hot summer afternoon by the lake. She closes her eyes and tries to banish the thoughts of her husband's solid body a stupid move for behind her closed eyelids hundreds of different images and thoughts in regard to her husband attack her. Its Roland's laughter that brings her back to the present.
"Gina, papa get paste too?" Roland asks when Robin coughs and Regina feels her cheeks grow hot as she realizes how close they are with only Roland as the barrier between them; she scolds herself for being effected now since she had been closer to him while taking care of him.
"sure why not" Regina can tell her tone is too chipper as she scoops a generous amount and turns toward her husband with questioning gaze and he smile gently as his eyes are heavy with fatigue "whatever the nurse recommends" he murmurs softly and Roland giggles "silly papa Gina's a Queen not a nurse" and Regina can't help but smile as she gently spreads the paste over the base of her husband's neck on a softer skin than she had imagined. Roland looks intrigued and so Regina softly explains what the paste is, what's it's used for "...the yucky stuff will go away if you put it on your chest but for regular cough, just the base of the neck" Roland is asleep at this point and Robins eyes are closed so she gets up quietly thinking of making soup but as she is about to exit she hears Robins voice
"thank you" it's soft and she turns to see his baby blues locked on her and just like month ago and there is heat in his gaze that cause her breath to catch. She feels her stomach quiver and she tries to quell the fluttering as she give a smile and nods before exiting. The dinner they share that night camped out on the bed is the first and last dinner they share as a family for the next three month.
It's a week and a half after his collapse that Robin is finally allowed out for a light walk. Regina has been busy keeping things in order, she has barely been home. Robin tries to speak to Regina several times he manages to see her but she avoids it. Her walls are back up. It's not that she blame him and she knows firsthand the horrors of pompey seeds. A fact she does not elaborate on, despite Robins hints.
She doesn't want to speak with Robin about their marriage anymore than they already have, because it doesn't matter if he loves her or wants her. She has a brilliant son and a husband who is an amazing man. All else can be damned she doesn't need romance or hope of love just her new family and friends that's all she needs. It frustrates Robin at time she knows but he is still too weak to truly corner her and have them talk, she worries his words will cause her to hope for more and she is tiered of hoping. She knows she will be forever content to just have Roland and Robin at her side forever more just as they are a small a family even if a Robin only sees her as a friend at best. This is how her life is to be she thinks and she will be able to live like this, happily even.
Little does she know that an intruder that very evening will threaten to not only her new found peace, but the existence of her new life completely.
AN: this is the longest chapter by far, and it is 1 am here. I love you all, especially those of you who reviewed, fav, fallowed etc. Your reviews give me life and feed my muse. A shout out to JustMe1330, your message is what had me kicking it into high gear to finish this chapter. I honest to god, need sweet moment ideas for Regina and Robin, because we have one more chapter of arguments before we get a bit of OQ action. And so if any of you have cute/sweet/fluffy/funny scene ideas between a couple who is arguing please let me know, would love to hear from you all.
It's pretty late here and I have school tomorrow; expect more CS soon and Snow is coming in a chapter or two. As for the intruder, it's not random, I promise and yep. As always ONCE is not mine, please review and thanks for reading
