A/N: My eleventh entry for OQ Prompt Party using prompt #100: Regina is queen and has never been in love until she meets Robin, who is her new assistant. It is love at first sight with her, but he believes what the press is writing about her and doesn't bother to get to know her at first, until at some point (through a certain event) he realizes she's the one.
I definitely rushed this quite a bit so I'm just posting this as a sneak peek of the larger story I intend to write. I'm going to slow things down and really develop them, just what this prompt deserves. So keep an eye out for that!
-Mac
A Royal Affair
Tink walked into her office, carrying several files. She stopped when she saw a blond-haired man sitting by her desk dressed in a crisp black suit with a blue button-down shirt. He stood as she approached, smiling and revealing two dimples. "Good morning," he said.
"Good morning," she replied. "May I help you?"
"Yes, Johanna told me to report here to a Rose Tinker," he said. "I'm Robin Locksley."
Tink nearly dropped her files when she heard that, surprise and dismay coursing through her. She had been told to expect a Robin Locksley to report that day to fill the recently vacated Royal Assistant position but clearly Johanna had forgotten to mention a very important fact about Robin.
"You were expecting a woman," he said rather than asked. He didn't sound too surprised and Tink figured it happened often.
"Yes," she replied, knowing it was likely pointless to lie. She sighed. "But I do trust Johanna when it comes to staff. She's been hiring for the palace for decades and has a great track record."
He grinned, looking relieved. "Good. I was afraid I was about to wade back into the unemployment pool."
"No, no," Tink said, sighing again. "I have to tell Her Majesty that her new assistant is a man, not a woman, but that should just be a minor hiccup."
"Her Majesty?" he asked, a strange look crossing his eyes as his smile faded away.
Cold swept through Tink and she started to wonder if maybe Johanna was losing her touch after all. "Yes. Didn't they tell you what position you were hired for?"
"That I was to be an assistant to a high-ranking person here in the palace," he replied. "That was all."
"Right, right," Tink said, knowing that was standard practice. Most staffers did not know who they would be assigned to until they showed up for their first day of work. However, she felt like those working directly with the Queen needed should go through more intense scrutiny and be made aware of who they were working for before they took the job.
Especially given the Queen's reputation.
No matter how inaccurate it was.
She studied Robin and could tell that he believed the lies Sidney Glass printed about her and the other media outlets took as gospel truth. In a firm, cold voice, she asked: "Do you have a problem working with Her Majesty?"
"No," he said, a mask slipping over his eyes and his expression becoming neutral. "This is a job and I am a professional, I assure you."
"Good," she replied, hoping that would prove to be the case.
He looked around before asking: "So…are you Rose Tinker?"
She realized she had never introduced herself and her cheeks heated up as she held out her hand. "Yes, sorry. You can call me Tink – everyone else does. I'm the Queen's chief of staff."
"Nice to meet you," he said. "So am I reporting to you or to the Queen?"
"Well, I guess to both of us," she replied. "But it's very likely you'll get most of your duties directly from Her Majesty."
Robin nodded. "So are there any rules I need to know? Like I'm not allowed to make eye contact with the Queen or something like that?"
"Of course you are," Tink replied, trying not to frown as her fear that the lies the media told about the Queen would make it difficult for Robin to do his job. "There are certain rules about working in the palace but she's not going to make you do anything crazy just because she's the Queen. She's just a regular person underneath the crown."
All Robin did was tilt his head as his expression continued to remain unreadable. "I see."
It didn't do much to assuage Tink's concerns about him. She was tempted to dismiss him there and then but decided that she needed more than a gut feeling. Besides, she didn't want to have to explain to the Queen why the assistant she had been told was starting that day had already been dismissed.
Regina already had enough to worry about.
Tink checked her watch and then reviewed the Queen's schedule. "Her Majesty has some free time. Why don't I go introduce you two and she can tell you what she expects from her assistant?"
"Sounds good," he replied.
"Then follow me," she said, setting down her files. "I'll also show you your office when we pass it."
His eyes widened a bit. "I get my own office?"
"Of course you do," she replied. "What did you expect?"
"I honestly don't know," he said. "I've held corporate jobs where I usually had my own desk but it was positioned outside my boss' office."
Tink chuckled. "You won't have that here. You won't have to play gatekeeper here. We have other people who do that."
"Right," he said. "I believe they were the lovely gentleman who patted me down when I entered this morning."
She laughed as she nodded, leading him toward a hallway. "So that was my office. Your office is closer to Her Majesty's and is located behind the door we're about to pass on your left."
"Will I get my name on it?" he asked, pausing briefly to study the door.
- "Yes," she replied, continuing down the hallway until she came to a heavy wood door with an ornate gold crown on it. "And this is Her Majesty's office."
He looked it over, nodding. "Easy to spot."
"It is," Tink said. She then rapped on the door once before opening it, warning the Queen that she was about to enter.
Tink's heels clicked against the white marble floor as she approached the black desk the Queen used. Regina had positioned it by the large windows in the room so she could look out over the palace gardens when she needed a break. It was a warm day so the black fireplace was not in use, leaving it as more of a decoration with the statue of a horse sitting on the mantel next to two pictures. Over the mantel hung the last portrait taken of the royal family before the death of King Henry a few years earlier. He sat on his throne with Queen Cora by his side and the then Crown Princess Regina standing behind her parents. All were dressed in their royal finery, wearing the dark blue the Mills family always favored. It flattered every member of the family but especially Regina, in Tink's opinion. She always tried to convince the Queen to wear it more but Regina kept insisting that black was her color.
While she did look good in black, Tink also felt it was because she was still in mourning for her father.
"Good morning, Your Majesty," Tink said, more formal than she usually was with the Queen. But she didn't know what type of relationship Robin would have with the Queen and so decided to set a more formal tone for now.
Queen Regina looked up from the paperwork she was reviewing and leaned back. "Good morning, Tink. Who is your companion?"
"This is Robin Locksley," Tink said. She paused for a moment before adding: "Your new assistant."
"Your Majesty," he said, bowing just like he had no doubt been taught at the palace staff orientation.
Queen Regina glanced over at Tink, raising her eyebrow for a moment. Tink just shrugged in response before the Queen stood, moving around her desk. "There's no need to bow like that all the time, Mr. Locksley. Is it okay if I call you Robin?"
"If Your Majesty wishes," he replied, sounding a bit colder than he had been with Tink. It made her heart sink a bit more.
The Queen paused and Tink knew that his answer had spoken volumes to her as well. Queen Regina pressed her lips together before smiling. "Well, welcome to the palace, Robin, and I look forward to working with you. My expectations for my assistants is for them to be prompt and efficient. Do you think you can do that?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied. "I always strive to do my best."
She nodded, still studying. "Then I shall leave you in Tink's capable hands and we can meet later to go my schedule as well as any duties Tink didn't cover."
"Yes, Your Majesty," he said, bowing again. Queen Regina raised an eyebrow and glanced at Tink, her expression conveying her message loud and clear.
Stop the bowing, please.
Tink would do her best. She ushered Robin from the office and prayed that she was also able to get him to warm up to the Queen soon.
Or else the bowing would be the least of their worries.
Being Queen had its upsides.
Of course, there were the surface benefits of being royalty. Regina's family lived in the palace in Storybrooke and also owned one castle, two chateaus and a ski lodge throughout the country. She had grown up surrounded by a staff of servants paid to attend to her every need, though her father had taught her how to be independent as well. King Henry made his daughter do chores such as cleaning her room and doing laundry so that she knew the value of hard work. It also taught her important life skills she would need, understanding she couldn't rely on servants forever.
Regina also had the finest clothes with fashion designers ready to supply her with new gowns or outfits at a moment's notice. Shoes and other accessories were always available for her and she also had access to Mist Haven's crown jewels for state affairs. But she still liked to slip away in her own car – despite having a chauffeur, she insisted on getting her license like any other teenager in Mist Haven – and go shopping in disguise in the little shops the people of Storybrooke frequented. They were where she found some of her favorite items, most of them also her comfiest.
Then there were the deeper benefits, such as the satisfaction knowing she was working to give her subjects the best lives possible. Regina worked from sunrise to sunset on the behind the scenes things that no one really paid attention to unless something stopped working. And it was her job to make sure that didn't happen. She read reports, received updates, met with her ministers and foreign dignitaries to make sure Mist Haven was a wonderful place to live, a land of peace and prosperity.
Of course, being Queen also had its downsides.
Regina was used to always having an escort with her when she left the palace grounds. Even when she was just a princess, a guard followed her everywhere – even to school. But she at least was able to go places as herself. She could go to school or to the library or even to meet up with friends to see a movie. While the press always took pictures of her when she was out and about, the people of Storybrooke tended to treat her as another person back then. It all changed once she became queen. She no longer could just go to the movies if she wanted to or meet friends at a pub. Press would swarm her and now even the people would react differently. They would pepper her with questions, trying to compliment her or hurl complaints at her. It tended to get overwhelming and she usually had to be extracted by her security detail. So she had started to collect wigs and go out in disguise – so far, no one had yet to see through them.
Being Queen also cost her friendships as she had more obligations than she did as the Crown Princess. That left her less time to spend time with friends and just hang out or even to do something spontaneously. And she also had to be careful with whom she associated so all her friends had received scrutiny from her advisors. Regina then had to distance herself from those who did not get their approval, costing her some dear friendships.
That was the ultimate downside – she had almost no control over her life at all. Her days were planned from the moment she woke up to the moment she fell asleep, including who she talked to or spent time with. And most of them were employed by her in some capacity.
Whoever said it was lonely at the top certainly wasn't kidding.
All the scrutiny over her relationships conflicted with the public's desire for a fairy tale. They wanted her to find her Prince Charming, fall in love and then have a wedding to rival anything held by the British royal family. Each of her relationships after she graduated secondary school and started university were watched with hope and anticipation. Pictures of her and whoever her partner was were plastered across newspapers, news shows and the internet. Reporters did deep dives into each person and would often know everything about them before she had even been dating them a month. It made everything more intense and most men had the good sense to bow out early, knowing they could not handle the pressure. And she found that those who didn't and seemed to be okay with the pressure were usually dating her for the wrong reasons. They generally wanted either the fame, the wealth or the power – or all three as was the case with her last boyfriend, Sidney Glass.
She really regretted that relationship.
Even before the disaster that was her relationship with Sidney, Regina had started to doubt she would ever find someone who would get her advisors' approval and who she would want to marry. She had resigned herself to having to marry for convenience rather than love. After all, she would need an heir. Though she was trying to overturn the law that required heirs to be born within wedlock, she knew it was an uphill battle. So she would need to find someone who she would be able to parent with and hopefully also be a lifelong companion.
There would be no fairy tale romance for her and she thought she had made peace with that.
Until now.
Now she knew Robin Locksley and for the first time in her life, believed in love at first sight.
Her heart had skipped a beat the moment she had looked up and saw the handsome blond man standing behind Tink. Surprise had filled her when Tink had introduced him as her new assistant. Regina didn't mind having a man as her assistant but didn't know how she would be able to keep her attraction to him under wraps. The last thing her advisors would want was rumors of her romancing her assistant – it certainly would be quite scandalous.
But then she saw the hard look in his blue eyes and heard the coolness in his voice when he addressed her. She was attracted to him but he certainly was not attracted to her. Robin clearly believed everything the press said about her and she knew it would take some time to show him how wrong they were – she usually did.
She and Robin easily fell into a routine. He had always gotten in before she reached her office in the morning and had her second cup of coffee waiting for her, made just as she liked it – dash of almond milk with some Stevia. Robin also had her schedule printed up and waiting on her desk for her as well as the Mist Haven Times' morning edition plus summaries of major stories from around the world. She was impressed with his ability to figure out what she needed to know, though she wished he would throw in one or two "fluff" stories as well, such as a community rallying to rescue ducklings from a storm drain. Her last assistant, Ivy, used to do that for her and she missed the moments of levity that kept her job from being too serious. It was something she decided to wait to address with him when he finally realized she was not the joyless and heartless woman the press tended to portray her as.
Especially Sidney Glass.
Once she finished reading the newspaper and his briefing, she would ask Robin to come into her office. He would appear a few moments later with his notebook, ready to take down whatever she needed him to do that day. It varied from day-to-day. Sometimes she needed him to run some errands for her, such as picking up her dry-cleaning or picking up items from the store for her. Other times, she needed him to order gifts for whoever she needed to sway to her side – from dignitaries to politicians to businesspeople – or for her friends. He would nod and assure her it would be done. Any time she tried to ask him some questions about himself, she would just get short and curt answers so she learned to back off for now.
When she had meetings, Robin would go on ahead to make certain everything was set up accordingly. She would arrive to find her seat prepared with a bottle of water, the cap already off for her. He then sat behind her, taking notes for her and prepared to get whatever she needed during the meeting. When it was done, he would then leave ahead of her to prepare for her arrival back at the palace. They never traveled together, another lost opportunity for them to get to know each other better. Regina knew she could always order Tink to go ahead instead and require Robin to stay but she had a feeling that would just get him to shut her out more.
So far, most of her days had been spent in her office in the palace. More often than not, people would come to see her rather than the other way around. But it was also summer, so most businesses were closed and Mist Haven's Parliament was in summer session. It meant most members were home or on vacation with them rotating who would return to Parliament for a week to ensure certain day-to-day procedures carried on until the full session resumed in September. Regina wished she could go on vacation but almost all her trips were diplomatic in nature, not for pleasure. It sometimes was a miracle she could go to her ski lodge for a long weekend every winter.
Regina did enjoy when Parliament was in summer session as her schedule grew lighter. It allowed her to get a lot of paperwork done as well as get some other work that did not involve the Parliament done. So Robin had come at a good time to adjust to working in the palace. By the time it picked up again, she knew he would have everything else under his belt. So far, he managed to make sure she ate lunch and so she trusted he would do the same when they were all running in ten directions at the same time. He also brought her a cup of afternoon tea as well as some biscuits, which she appreciated. She had once tried to invite him to stay to drink with her so they could do their end of the day debrief over tea, but he had quickly excused himself instead. Regina had taken to doing the debrief by email, sensing Robin preferred that over spending any more time with her. He would then call and tell her he was leaving for the night with a professional goodnight.
That was it.
She made little progress in finding ways for her and Robin to get to know each other. And so she made the decision to pull back from him. If all he wanted from her was a professional relationship then she would give it to him. Hopefully one day he would want a warmer relationship from her but for now, she would not push his boundaries or make him uncomfortable. And if she pulled back, she hoped that she would get over her initial infatuation with him.
But the heart wanted what the heart wanted.
Especially when she managed to see who she knew was the true Robin when he didn't realize she was looking. When he thought he was just with his colleagues, she saw how warm he really could be. She watched and listened as he joked with them, saw how willing he was to help them and find he was a genuinely kind man. It also was clear from some of the conversations she overheard that he had a low tolerance for injustice and for those he felt abused the power as well as those who mistreated other people for any reason.
No wonder he didn't have much kindness for her, given how she was depicted in the media. But the more she saw of him, the more she believed he would be a good king, that he was the kind of man she would want to spend the rest of her life with and want to be the father of her children.
Too bad he didn't think she was the type of woman he would want.
Life wasn't fair.
"Regina?" Tink asked, coming into the office. "Are you busy?"
Regina looked up from the report Robin had delivered from the Ministry of Commerce, grateful for the distraction. Leaning forward, Regina smiled. "Yes, but I could definitely pretend I'm not."
"Good because Ruby called. Lady Blanchard would like to know if you're available for dinner tonight," Tink said, amused by the Queen's response.
Regina chuckled, knowing that meant Mary Margaret was already at the palace and was just waiting for permission to come up. "Yes, I'm available and she can come right on in."
"I'll let Ruby know," Tink replied with a laugh. "Shall I also alert the kitchen?"
"Yes, please," Regina said, wincing as she thought of her poor kitchen staff. "And apologize for the short notice."
Tink nodded. "Though I think the kitchens are used to it by now."
Her chief of staff left the office and Regina stood, smoothing down her black dress. She then picked up the phone and pressed a button. It rang a few times before the smooth, accented voice that made her stomach due flips answered. "Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Robin, can you have a tea service brought in, please?" she asked. "Lady Blanchard will be visiting with me."
"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied. "Right away."
He ended the call before she could say anything else, though she didn't know what she would've said. She sighed, setting her phone down before heading to the couch. Regina was glad Mary Margaret had decided to stop by – she could use some friendly advice.
Lady Mary Margaret Blanchard was Regina's oldest and dearest friend, the closest thing she had to a sister. She had easily gotten the approval of Regina's advisors – the Blanchards were one of the original families that settled Mist Haven alongside Regina's and had enjoyed close ties with the Crown for centuries. It honestly was the reason Mary Margaret and Regina were friends in the first place – they were just together often because they were involved in the same social circles.
At first, their friendship seemed unlikely. Mary Margaret seemed to be the polar opposite of Regina. She was bubbly and outgoing, attracting people to her, while Regina was more withdrawn and introverted. Her mother expected Regina to behave perfectly, as if she had been born knowing all the rules of etiquette. It seemed after every social event, Queen Cora would have a list of things Regina did wrong and would punish her for them. While Regina eventually would come to learn everything she needed to know as a princess and would be praised for how polite and ladylike she was as a child, she dreaded all social events and would often avoid interacting with people so that she didn't make a mistake and get punished for it.
Even now, though she was an adult and her mother was no longer there to correct her, Regina still dreaded parties and other social events. She always left them worried she had said something wrong or done something wrong. That someone would then call her and scold her for what she had said or done like she was a little child.
It certainly didn't help improve her image in the media or expand her social circles. Many people found her then too standoffish and aloof. No one really took the time to get to know her, like Robin.
But unlike Mary Margaret. She had decided that she was going to be friends with Regina and when she set her mind to something, Mary Margaret did not stop until she attained it. Even though Regina made it clear that she found the other girl's bubbly and jovial personality annoying, Mary Margaret refused to give up. She kept trying to draw Regina out of her shell and win her over.
However, it wasn't one of her attempts that finally won Regina over. Queen Cora did not think that Regina had properly greeted a diplomat and didn't wait for the party to end to scold her daughter. She had smiled and excused them before letting Regina have it in the hallway, out of earshot of anyone in the party – especially King Henry, who usually intervened to stop his wife from berating their daughter. Regina had started crying, which had earned her a slap from her mother. That was when King Henry had intervened and told Regina to head to her room. She had fled but found Mary Margaret waiting for her. Mary Margaret had followed Regina and Queen Cora and witnessed the scolding, which had upset her so she went to get the king so he could stop it. Then she took Regina's hand and promised to spend the rest of the time with her, even if it meant just sitting there and doing nothing if that was what Regina wanted.
And in that moment, Regina found her dearest friend and fiercest protector.
For her part, Regina tried to be the same for Mary Margaret. She wasn't sure if she was always successful but she still tried, hoping it would be enough.
Over the years, they still had their clashes – Mary Margaret was occasionally too cheerful and optimistic for Regina and she in turn was too pessimistic and tended to lash out at everyone around her. But they stayed by each other's side, teasing each other and supporting each other through everything life had thrown at them.
The door opened and Graham, her head of security stepped inside the room. "Lady Mary Margaret Blanchard, Your Majesty," he announced.
"Thank you, Graham," she said, watching as Mary Margaret entered the room. She wore a pink skirt paired with a white shirt – something that fit her personality perfectly.
Mary Margaret thanked him as well before rushing toward Regina. They hugged each other tightly and Regina relished the feeling of human connection. She didn't get it often – most people were not allowed to even breath in her direction let alone touch her – and she loved these moments more than she ever let on, though she had a feeling Mary Margaret knew.
"I'm sorry for just dropping by but there was something I needed to tell you myself," Mary Margaret said.
"And what is that?" Regina asked, pulling back with some concern. What was so important or serious that Mary Margaret had to tell her in person right away?
Mary Margaret held out her left hand, revealing a beautiful square cut emerald on a gold band. "David proposed last night and I said yes! I'm getting married!"
"Oh my god!" Regina exclaimed, happiness and excitement filling her. "Congratulations! You and David are going to have a wonderful life together!"
"And it's all thanks to you," Mary Margaret said, letting Regina lead her to the couch so they could sit down.
Regina shook her head, knowing her friend was exaggerating her role in the romance. "I just did what I could."
"You did a lot," Mary Margaret replied. "I don't know if David and I could've made it without your support given how much Daddy did not approve of my relationship with David in the beginning."
"He would've come around when he saw how happy you were," Regina insisted, though she had some doubts. While Leopold Blanchard loved his daughter and spoiled her, he also was very much like Regina's mother. Both had had clear plans for their daughters, including the type of men they would marry. Regina knew if her mother was still in her life, she likely would've been married to some awful nobleman or rich businessman who would've given her mother more power or riches but would've made Regina absolutely miserable.
It made her shudder to think of what nightmare she would've had to endure to appease her mother's selfish desires.
Thankfully Leopold was different from Cora in one regard – where Cora expected people to do everything to please her, Leopold was the type to please those he felt had more power than him. When Regina vocally supported Mary Margaret's new relationship, he quickly fell in line and started to accept it as well. It had made things much easier for her friend and cleared the way to this moment.
"I would like think he would've," Mary Margaret told her, "but I don't know. You heard how dismissive he was when I first told him about David."
Regina nodded, parroting Leopold's words. "You can do a lot better than a lowly police officer, Mary Margaret."
Someone cleared their throat and she looked up to find Robin standing with a tea tray. "The tea you asked for, Your Majesty," he said.
"Thank you, Robin," she replied. She motioned to the coffee table by the couch. "You can just set it down there. We can serve ourselves."
He did as she instructed and Mary Margaret tilted her head, studying him. She then looked at Regina, her eyebrow raised. Amused, Regina said: "This is my new assistant, Robin Locksley. Robin, this is Lady Margaret Blanchard."
"Pleasure to meet you," she said.
"You as well," he replied, his tone as warm as his eyes. But when he turned back to Regina, she could see he had cooled. "Do you need anything else, Your Majesty?"
"No, thank you," she told him, trying to conceal her disappointment.
He gave a small bow before leaving the office. Regina watched him go and sighed once the door closed behind him. She then turned to her friend. "Tea?"
"Yes, please," Mary Margaret replied. She paused before saying: "So that's the Robin I've been hearing so much about."
"It is," Regina said, pouring them some tea. She had told Mary Margaret about her feelings for her assistant in hopes that talking about them would help her get over them.
It had not.
She handed Mary Margaret a cup and then pushed the sugar bowl closer to her. Mary Margaret started to spoon some sugar into it as she said: "You forgot to mention that he didn't like you."
Regina paused as she poured some cream into her tea before asking: "It was that obvious?"
"Yes," Mary Margaret replied. "I'm surprised we aren't drinking iced tea from how cold he got."
"I was hoping he would warm up after a couple months on the job but it doesn't seem to be happening," Regina said with a sigh. "It seems he fully buys everything they say about me in the media."
Mary Margaret scowled. "So are you going to replace him?"
Regina shook her head. "He's very good at his job and despite his chilly demeanor, he is professional around me. And maybe the longer he's here, the more he'll see I'm not who the media says I am."
"You're being awfully generous," Mary Margaret said, studying her. "I could hear it in your voice and see it in your eyes now. You're smitten with him. But why?"
She would only ever confide this to Mary Margaret and she let all the reasons spill out. "From what I've seen, he's pretty much how I would describe my ideal partner," she finished.
"Except he barely tolerates you," Mary Margaret replied. "What are you planning on doing about that?"
"Honestly? I'm waiting for this infatuation to die down," Regina told her. "And then he'll just be my assistant and hopefully the working relationship we have now works. Who knows? Maybe he'll start to warm up to me a little the longer we go."
Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow. "I've never really known you to take the wait and see approach."
"I have," Regina replied. "Robin is certainly not the first staff member to come in with preconceived notions about me. They tend to change their minds after several months working here, so it does seem to work."
"And if his mind never changes?" Mary Margaret asked.
Regina shrugged before sighing. "This would be my luck. The first person I'm really attracted to can't stand me. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me I'm meant to be alone."
"Then the universe is wrong," Mary Margaret insisted. "Besides, you've never been one to believe in signs and fate and things like that. Don't start now – especially to give up. The person meant for you is out there and you'll find him. I just know it."
"Uh oh," Regina said, amused. "That sounds like a hope speech."
Mary Margaret sipped her tea before saying: "Maybe it is. It sounds like you could use a little hope."
"So you really do believe my perfect partner is out there?" Regina asked, doubting that was true. When Mary Margaret nodded, she said: "Well, if he does show up, I'll you a commission."
"Then I look forward to collecting," Mary Margaret replied smugly, taking another sip of her tea.
Regina rolled her eyes. "I'll keep that in mind. Now, can we switch topics? Tell me all about your proposal. I want to hear everything."
"Okay, but before I do that, I have a very important question to ask." Mary Margaret set down her cup before reaching out and taking Regina's hands. "Will you be my maid of honor?"
"I would be honored," Regina replied, pleased with her pun and overjoyed that her friend would ask her to stand by her side on the happiest day of her life. She squeezed Mary Margaret's hands. "Thank you."
"No, thank you. There's no one else I want there when I marry David," Mary Margaret said, hugging her.
Regina gave her a squeeze before they parted. Picking up her teacup again, she said: "Okay, no more stalling. Tell me about the proposal!"
Mary Margaret laughed but started to launch into the story. Regina leaned back, feeling lighter as she listened to her friend. She certainly was glad that Mary Margaret had stopped by and pushed all thoughts of Robin from her mind.
For now.
"So you've made it almost three months with the Queen. I think that deserves a drink." John, Robin's best friend, made that declaration as soon as Robin sat down across from him at their favorite pub. He waved down their server as he asked: "So, what do you want?"
"You even have to ask?" Robin teased him. "And you call yourself my best friend."
John chuckled as the server stopped at their table. He ordered Robin's favorite beer as well as his own. The server said she would get that right away and would then take their food order when she got back.
"So, how was your day?" John asked, handing Robin the menu so he could find what he wanted to order.
Robin sighed. "Busy. I'm not entirely sure who this ball is for but the Queen is very insistent that it be perfect. She's even more demanding than usual."
"I didn't know that was possible," John said, sounding amazed.
"Neither did I," Robin replied, sighing. "I'm just glad I'm not handling most of the arrangements. That's Tink's job. But I snuck a peek at some of the things she was getting and it was very odd for a ball."
John looked intrigued. "Anything you can share?"
"I suppose so," Robin mused, knowing that John would not blab. And it was likely no one would figure out anything anyway. But he lowered his voice as he said: "So, she wants a face painting station, a cotton candy machine, and a bouncy castle."
"That…sounds like a child's birthday party," John replied, speaking in the same low voice as Robin. "Does…does the Queen have a child no one knows about?"
Robin frowned, shaking his head. "I doubt I would be able to serve three months as her assistant without somehow figuring out she was a mother."
"Maybe," John said. "But you've also said that you've never been in her private quarters."
"True," Robin agreed, thinking about it. "Do you think the Queen could keep a child cooped up in her private quarters?"
"Given that her private quarters are probably bigger than most people's homes, I'd say yes," John replied.
Robin nodded, his mind working overtime. But his gut told him there was no child. It just made no sense that she would hide a possible heir or that no one would ever mention a child during his time so far. Besides, he couldn't see any man putting up with her long enough to get her pregnant, even for a one night stand. He couldn't even imagine her flirting. She probably didn't flirt but demand men pay attention to her – the Queen always demanded things. And even if she did initiate sexual contact, he got the sense she would be very particular and careful about birth control.
So, no, he didn't think there was some secret illegitimate child running around the Queen's quarters.
"No," he said. "I think this might just be a case of royals are weird."
John chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, you're probably right. I mean, could you imagine having her as a mother?"
Robin shuddered. His experience of the Queen was that she was a demanding person who did expected perfection. The media was absolutely right about her – she was a heartless queen who cared about power and appearances more than anything else. Robin doubted she had a shred of empathy in her body and did not seem to understand to anyone else, even those who were almost her equals. The conversation he overheard between her and Lady Blanchard still haunted him. He had seen the noblewoman come in and she was so excited. Then when he had entered the room she had seemed more subdued, no doubt after the Queen had disparaged her relationship. Robin wasn't sure if Lady Blanchard needed the Queen's permission to marry but he hoped not. She didn't deserve to have her life upended by someone incapable of understanding love.
"Uh oh," John said, drawing Robin back to the present. "Did I lose you down a rabbit hole?"
"Not really," Robin replied. "I was just once again feeling sorry for Lady Blanchard. Especially as I think she thinks the Queen is her friend."
Their conversation was interrupted when the server returned with their drinks. She then took their food orders and left them to resume their discussion. John leaned forward. "You think so?"
Robin nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I can't imagine the Queen has to approve of every little detail about her ladyship's wedding but Lady Blanchard has been in there a few times, talking about her wedding. I even heard that the Queen is her Maid of Honor."
"Well, the Queen doesn't strike me the type to demand to be in a wedding, so I would say yeah, Lady Blanchard thinks the Queen is her friend," John agreed, nodding slowly. "Poor thing."
"I know," Robin said. "The last time she was with the Queen, I went in to drop some papers off. Lady Blanchard was describing her dream wedding dress and the Queen just utterly tore into it, calling it a monstrosity."
John made a face. "How bad could it be?"
"I'm not sure," Robin replied, "but judging by Lady Blanchard's outfits, it's probably going to be your traditional wedding dress."
"Maybe it's too traditional and the Queen prefers sleeker looks?" John asked.
Robin shrugged. "Perhaps. It would align with her fashion tendencies. But still, why force someone to adopt what you wear?"
"It's the Queen," John replied. "She's probably used to just bossing people around and them doing what she wants."
"I hope Lady Blanchard doesn't give in. She deserves the wedding of her dreams," Robin declared.
John nodded before raising his beer. "One last word about royals and nobles and then we can talk like the two commoners we are. Here's to you surviving your first three months with the Queen. Hope you survive the next three."
"You and me both," Robin said, tapping his beer against his friend's. They both took sips before Robin asked: "So, how did your date go?"
"Ugh, it was so awkward," he replied with a groan. "She disappeared shortly after we ordered drinks. Ten minutes later, I got a text saying that it wasn't going to work out and she was on her way home. Thankfully the bartender took pity on me and didn't charge me for her drink."
Robin scrunched his nose. "Did you report her to the app?"
John shrugged. "She's allowed to not want to go on the date with me."
"Yeah, but then she should be upfront about it and not sneak out," Robin replied. "Or sneak out before ordering a drink."
"I agree but I also understand that I might be intimidating," John said, motioning to his rather portly appearance. "A woman who doesn't know me might worry I will react poorly if she gets to a date and quickly decides that it's not what she wants."
Robin knew he had a point but was still offended on his friend's behalf. "It's not like you aren't upfront about what you look like."
"I know," John said. "But I just have to keep trying. You should do the same."
"I told you, I'm not really up for online dating," Robin replied. "I'd rather meet someone the old-fashioned way."
His friend raised an eyebrow. "Drunken hook ups in a dirty club bathroom?"
"I said old-fashioned," Robin retorted, "not how I did things in our university days."
"Ha, ha," John replied, rolling his eyes. "So how is the old-fashion way working out for you?"
Robin sighed, knowing his friend already knew the answer. He knew that Robin hadn't been on a date for over a year and hadn't really had much luck finding someone. "Not so well, but I have a feeling things are going to change."
"You do?" John asked.
"I do," Robin repeated. "She's out there and I'm going to find her. And I'm not going to find her on some app."
John hummed. "Alright. But I'm pretty sure she's swiping right on another frog while her Prince Charming refuses to use modern dating practices."
"Very funny," Robin said wryly. "Maybe you should've become a stand-up comic."
"I think I'll stick with my day job, thank you very much," John replied, taking a sip of his beer.
The server returned with their food and set the plates down in front of them. She smiled. "Enjoy!"
"Thank you," Robin said as John tucked a napkin into his shirt like a bib. "We will."
She walked away and John picked up a rib. He licked his lips. "I am absolutely going to enjoy this."
Robin laughed as he cut into his steak, popping the piece into his mouth. It was tender and juicy, just as he liked it and he let out a soft groan before swallowing. "Oh, yeah. This is what I needed tonight. Steak, beer and my best mate."
"Happy to oblige," John said, moving onto his next ribs. "You know I can never turn down ribs from here."
They ate and continued to chat. At one point, Robin looked up and was surprised to see a familiar figure by the bar. He leaned closer to John. "Lady Blanchard is here."
John raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think this would be a place a noblewoman went to."
"How would we really know? They do look like us, especially if they are dressed casually," Robin replied, looking over Lady Blanchard. She wore a white sweater paired with jeans. While he had no doubt both were designer and very expensive, she looked no different than the other women in the restaurant.
John quickly glanced over his shoulder before looking back, nodding. "Fair point. Maybe we're surrounded by dukes and duchesses and have no idea."
"Maybe," Robin replied. "But I also know that Lady Blanchard's fiancé is a police officer, so he's probably a commoner like us."
"And probably likes common places like us," John agreed. "Is she with him?"
He glanced up again and saw a blond man approach Lady Blanchard, placing his hand on her back. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. Robin nodded. "Yes, he is."
"And how does he look?"
"Pretty common," Robin replied, studying the man's red flannel shirt and jeans. "Just like us."
John nodded. "He probably introduced her to this place. They probably feel more comfortable here together than the palace. Especially with the Queen judging them."
"Agreed," Robin said before noticing Lady Blanchard motioning toward them. He sat up straighter. "I've been spotted."
Lady Blanchard approached their table with her fiancé. She smiled as she placed her hand on Robin's chair. "Hello, Robin. How are you?"
"I am well, Your Ladyship," he replied, feeling a bit weird. "How are you?"
"The same," she said. She motioned to the man standing next to her. "May I introduce my fiancé, David Nolan? David, this is Regina's new assistant, Robin Locksley."
David held out his hand with a smile. "Pleasure to meet you."
"You too," Robin replied, shaking his hand. He motioned to John and introduced him to the couple.
"Do you come here often?" David asked them.
Robin nodded. "This is one of our favorite places. John is particularly fond of their ribs."
"Which I am now slightly embarrassed to have ordered since I am meeting a noblewoman," John admitted, trying to wipe his face with one of the wipes the server had left for him.
She chuckled. "Oh, don't worry. You can probably see sauce stains on David's shirts from his order of ribs."
David glanced down at his shirt and sighed as he touched a blob of dried sauce. "Yeah. My stomach loves them but my washing machine not so much."
"Well, we had a load to go in tonight anyway," Lady Blanchard replied, patting his arm. Robin was surprised but pleased to hear that she had no trouble doing their laundry. He imagined the Queen had never even seen a washing machine and just assumed her clothes magically appeared nice and clean in her closet.
She then continued: "We can throw that in when we get home."
"No," David replied gently. "We need to pretreat this first, remember?"
"Right," Lady Blanchard said, looking a little embarrassed. "You and Regina have told me that so many times but I keep forgetting."
Surprise filled Robin. The Queen knew about pretreating clothes? If so, did that mean she did wash the clothes that she didn't have Robin send out for dry cleaning?
David chuckled. "That's probably the same face I made when I saw Regina doing her own wash. And when I discovered that when she offered to make cupcakes for Mary Margaret's birthday party, she really made them. I found her in the Blanchard's kitchen, icing the cupcakes while wearing a batter-splattered apron."
"Regina loves baking," Lady Blanchard said. "It's how she decompresses."
"She's a damn good baker," David replied. "Those were the best cupcakes I've ever had. And I understand the recipe is not easy."
Lady Blanchard smiled. "It's supposed to be a cake and she has to make adjustments for it to be cupcakes but she made them because she knows I like the cake but really prefer cupcakes. She's just a really great friend that way."
Robin grew more uncomfortable and confused. The woman who made a complicated recipe just because her friend enjoyed it as cupcakes did not mesh with the Queen he saw mock Lady Blanchard's husband and her outfit choices. Or had she really just put on a good show of icing the cupcakes but really had someone else make it? But then why would the Queen have gone through all that trouble for someone she didn't care about?
"I think we've held them up from their meal long enough," David said, taking Lady Blanchard's hand. "We should go."
"Oh!" she exclaimed, sounding embarrassed. "Right. Sorry. You two enjoy and have a good evening."
Robin and John said goodbye to them before they walked away. Questions continued to swirl around Robin's head and he set his napkin down, standing. "I'll be right back," he told John.
He left the restaurant and found Lady Blanchard waiting on the curb. Robin guessed David was bringing their car around and he took his chance to see if she would answer some of his questions. But he needed to be careful – there were rules he needed to follow with the Queen and all nobles as a palace staffer, whether in the palace or not. Prodding into the Queen's relationship with anyone could violate those rules but he hoped Lady Blanchard could give him a bit more insight into his employer.
"Lady Blanchard! I was hoping we could have a word," he said, jogging up to her.
"I was hoping we could as well," she replied, looking quite serious now. "I want to have a word about Her Majesty the Queen."
He paused, wondering why she wanted to talk about the Queen. Unless she did suspect that the Queen was not as good of a friend as she assumed and wanted his confirmation. He started to figure out how to gently let her down as he nodded. "Alright."
"You don't like Regina, do you?" she asked him, studying him.
The question caught him off-guard and he paused as he tried to diplomatically word his answer. "She's my employer. I have no real feelings toward her," he replied.
Lady Blanchard rolled her eyes. "You can spare me the neutral answers, Robin. I'm not going to tell anyone about this conversation. Regina would probably be cross that I'm having it in the first place. But she's my best friend, the closest thing I have to a sister, and I want to make sure she's not going to get hurt in the end."
"Hurt how?" he asked, even more confused. "She's the Queen and I'm her assistant."
"You're probably the one person she works the closest with every day, with the exception of Tink. That's a pretty important position," she replied. "Gives you greater access to the Queen. And I know they did a screening and background check at the palace but I still am not sure if you're the right person to be around her."
That surprised him and he frowned. "Because you sense I don't like her?"
She nodded. "You may not realize it but it's very obvious in your body language around her. You're very cold and stiff around her when you aren't with others, including me right now."
"No one's mentioned that before," he said, nearly panicking. Was his job on the line and he never knew?
"Because Regina didn't want to mention it," Lady Blanchard replied. "She believes you'll eventually warm up to her. I'm not so sure. I think you've been too brainwashed by the media."
He bristled at her comment and crossed his arms. "Brainwashed? I think the media's been very truthful when it comes to our queen."
"Is that so?" she asked, a hard look in her eyes.
"I haven't seen anything to the contrary," he said, feeling as if he was backpedaling a bit under her glare. It seemed Lady Mary Margaret Blanchard was not just some demure, kind-hearted noblewoman. She clearly had a backbone of steel and was not afraid to fight for those she cared about.
Though he still wasn't sure that the Queen deserved to be one of those people.
Lady Blanchard tilted her head. "Or are you are so already convinced about who she is, you view everything through a biased lens that just keeps reinforcing your belief?"
"I…I…" He wasn't sure how to answer that as it was something he never considered before. But thinking of some of the things he overheard, he cleared his throat. "Why do you defend a woman who doesn't respect your fiancé? Who thinks he is below you because of his job and that you can do better?"
"You overheard our conversation the first time we met." It was not a question but a statement of fact so he nodded. "But not enough to put Her Majesty's comments in context. We were talking about how my father was not supportive of my relationship at first. He only came around because Regina supported us and of course my father wanted to be on the same side as the Queen."
"Oh," Robin said, realization washing over him. The Queen hadn't been stating her opinion of David but repeating Lord Blanchard's earlier opinion of his daughter's then-boyfriend.
Lady Blanchard nodded. "Regina absolutely respects David and likes him. They consider each other brother and sister now."
"What about her opinions about your wedding dress?" he asked, feeling even more confused. "The monstrosity?"
"Oh, that," she said, chuckling. "When we were younger, Regina had a doll that had this pink, glittery, poofy dress. Like I'm pretty sure the doll's feet never reached the floor because the skirts of the dress held her up. Regina absolutely hated the dress and wanted to at least get a new one for the doll. But the dress was a gift from some ambassador so her mother wouldn't let her change it and made her keep it on display for the ambassador's entire appointment. Knowing how much she hated it, I would joke that I would model my wedding dress after it. Now that I'm getting married, we resurrected the joke."
By now, Robin was starting to feel like a heel. "So she's not making fun of your wedding dress?"
"Of course not," Lady Blanchard replied as a car pulled up. "I haven't picked it out yet. But I know no matter what I pick, Regina will support it because she wants me to be happy."
"I see," he said, feeling as if he was now three inches tall.
"I hope so." She opened the door but seemed to think of something. Turning back to him, she said: "Regina really admires you."
That surprised him and he wondered if she was trying to guilt him even more. "She does?"
Lady Blanchard nodded. "She thinks you're a good person. Me? I'm not sure. You're nice enough. But a good person would actually give someone a chance and not just automatically assume the worst in someone. I hope you prove Regina right though. If so, she deserves to have someone like you in her life."
She climbed into the car and closed the door behind her. Robin watched as David drove away and he felt like the horrible person Lady Blanchard thought he was. Despite everything he had told Johanna and Tink, he had walked into the Queen's office already convinced she was this Evil Queen who did not care about anyone but herself. As he played back all the incidents he had catalogued as proof her reputation was well-earned, he now wondered if he had taken them out of context as well. Or had he purposefully misunderstood and twisted them to fit who he had already decided the Queen was?
Was he completely wrong about her?
Robin wandered back into the restaurant, feeling as if he were in a daze. John looked up as he approached, frowning. "You okay, mate?"
"I don't know," Robin admitted honestly. "I feel like the world just went topsy-turvy."
"From just you stepping outside?" John asked, sounding concerned. "Good lord, man, what happened out there?"
Robin waved down their server, motioning for the check. "Let's pay and I'll tell you as we head home. I don't think I want to discuss it in public."
John nodded, recognizing how serious it was. They paid the bill and finished their beers before heading home. It was a silent ride on the subway to their shared flat a few stops from the restaurant. As the train flew through the tunnel, Robin's mind was a jumble of thoughts as he kept replaying every interaction with the Queen over and over again, looking for what he had missed. Was she the Evil Queen? Or was she a kind and compassionate monarchy? He had been certain about the answer only a couple hours earlier but now, he wasn't too sure. It left him with one prominent question.
Who was the real Queen Regina?
A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read and commented during this month! It's certainly been a lot of fun. I promise to finish A Bundle of Joy, One Night Stand, and The Hole in Our Hearts – hopefully before 2021 ends so that I can then have this story ready for 2022. And I have two more entries I didn't finish in time that I will post when they are ready. I hope you enjoy them, even if Prompt Party is over.
Thanks to Lisa for organizing another great month full of Outlaw Queen goodness!
-Mac