OQ Prompt Party #26. Cora didn't get the sheriff but the real Robin on Regina's birthday.
Regina groaned when her mother returned to her rooms, grinning. It was never a good sign and usually meant that Regina was going to have to entertain someone her mother thought would help them but who usually just ended up boring Regina instead. "No, Mother," she said. "Go away."
"Don't you want to know why I'm here?" Cora asked, not flummoxed at all.
"You've brought someone for me to meet," Regina replied, still seated at her vanity. She wasn't going to turn to face her mother. Maybe she would get the hint and leave.
Cora nodded, leaning against her chair. "I have found him."
"Found who?" Regina asked, confused.
"The man with the lion tattoo."
That caught Regina's attention and she turned around, looking up at her Mother. "You did? Where?"
"Does it matter? I found him and he's waiting to meet you," Cora said, pulling Regina to her feet. She looked her over and shook her head. "You can't go to meet your soulmate looking like that."
Regina glanced down at her tight black pants, red leather corset and the long jewel-studded coat she wore over them. She frowned. "What's so wrong with this?"
"Just trust me." Cora raised her hand and Regina was engulfed in the familiar cloud of her mother's magic.
Annoyance flared up inside her as she recalled all the other times her mother had changed her outfit into something she deemed more appropriate. It was no doubt going to be something Regina would never choose for herself and pulled too tight to give her a tiny waist as well as a bigger bust. She was probably also going to find her feet shoved into shoes that were a size too small to boot.
When the cloud died down, Regina gasped. It had been years since she had worn a ballgown as delicate and bright as the one her mother had changed her into. The sleeves were off her shoulders, showing off her cleavage without it being overbearing, and the entire dress was a beautiful light blue color she had favored when she was younger. In fact, when she turned to face the mirror, she glimpsed the girl who wanted to run off with the stable boy rather than the Evil Queen, especially with her hair down and curled around her shoulders.
"I believe you liked this color," Cora said, placing her hands on Regina's shoulders. "You look beautiful."
"I can't believe you remembered. Actually, I didn't even think you knew," Regina said, her walls crumbling.
Cora turned her to face her, cupping her chin. She smiled. "Of course I knew, Regina. I know I was overbearing and perhaps didn't listen to you enough, but I paid attention. I knew your favorite doll was Isabella, I knew you preferred apple pie over cherry pie and I knew your favorite color was blue."
Tears pricked Regina's eyes. "Mother…"
"Now, now," Cora said, conjuring up a handkerchief and dabbing at Regina's eyes. "You don't want to ruin your makeup."
"Why did you do this for me?" Regina asked.
Her mother smiled, squeezing her arms gently. "I told you. I want to change things between us. I can't bring back Daniel but I have brought you the man with the lion tattoo. Who, by the way, is called Robin."
"Robin." Regina let the name roll around her tongue and she found she liked it. "Robin."
Cora nodded. "Now go. He's waiting for you by your apple tree."
Overwhelmed, Regina hugged her mother. "Thank you, Mother. I really do appreciate this."
"I'm glad," Cora replied before letting go of her daughter. She gave Regina a gentle push. "Go. Be happy."
Regina hurried down to her courtyard, spotting her tree in the moon's glow. A distinctly male-shaped shadow stood under it, staring up at either her apples or the stars—she wasn't sure. She stopped, feeling her heart flutter and her stomach flip as she pressed her hand to her abdomen. This was it. She was finally going to come face-to-face with her soulmate.
Her mind wandered to that fateful night all those years ago, when Tinkerbell's pixie dust had brought them to that tavern. She could still remember how warm and bright it had looked inside, even though she knew her mother would've had a fit to know Regina had even considered going into such a place. Or perhaps it looked so warm because of the man bathed in green dust sitting inside with his back to her. She couldn't tell the color of his hair or anything else about him except for the lion tattoo. What did he look like? What did his voice sound like? Would he be everything she had built up in the back of her mind when she let herself wonder about him?
Doubts then began to sneak into her mind. What if she wasn't what he liked? Who wanted to romance the Evil Queen? He would probably just look at her in disgust before storming off, if he didn't try to avenge some wrong she had committed against him. Because if she had to put money down, she probably had wronged him in some way.
The same flight response that had made her run from the tavern started to rise in Regina. She could run upstairs, tell her mother it didn't work out or that she got the wrong man with the wrong lion tattoo. Regina could once again lock away her heart and keep it safe—keep herself safe from the pain of rejection, of a happy ever after snatched away yet again.
Her feet, though, remained rooted to the spot much like her tree was rooted to the courtyard. No matter how much her head screamed at her to run, her legs would just not obey. Instead, she stood there and watched as the shadowy figure turned to face her.
"Milady?" a soft voice carrying the familiar accent of Sherwood asked. The figure stepped from beneath her tree and into the torchlight illuminating the courtyard, allowing Regina to see his face at last.
He was taller than her and she knew that once she took her heels off, her head would only come up to his shoulders. He was also broad-chested but had the slim physique of someone who was built more for speed and agility rather than brute strength. Thick dark blond hair fell across his forehead and matched the scruff covering his cheeks and chin. Blue eyes took her in as he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, which hid his arms. Not that she would've been able to see his tattoo anyway as he was clad in a white linen shirt with long sleeves under a green leather jerkin and black pants tucked into worn black boots. He certainly wasn't like the other men her mother had tried to pair her up with before and he looked like he went to taverns.
Still, she needed to be certain. Part of her still suspected a trick on her mother's part, even as most of her longed for her mother to be genuine this time. Holding her head high, Regina ordered: "Show me your right arm."
The man tilted his head. "Milady?"
"I need to see your right arm," she repeated before softening her tone. "Please, it's important."
He nodded, bringing his arms back to the front of his body. Regina watched as he unbuttoned his right sleeve, rolling it up to his elbow. "Is this enough, milady? Or do you need to see the full arm?"
She could tell he wasn't teasing or mocking her but that he genuinely wanted to help her. Regina shook her head as she approached him. "This is enough. Thank you."
Regina took his arm in her hands and stared down at the tattoo on his wrist. It was just like she remembered. The lion roared against the black shield, marking him as her soulmate. Her fingers ghosted over it, proving it was real ink and no magic was involved. The ink had been there for some time, so it wasn't new either. Everything to her it was genuine and that her mother had found her Man With the Lion Tattoo.
"That was a youthful misadventure," he said, sounding slightly embarrassed. "I didn't realize how permanent it would be."
"I like it," she said, releasing his arm. She then bobbed a quick curtsy. "I'm Regina."
He smiled, bowing slightly to her. "Robin of Locksley, at your service."
The name rang a bell and she racked her memories to find out why. As she found something, she frowned. "Robin Hood? The thief?"
"That would be me," he admitted before looking around. "I guess this where your guards come and arrest me. I thought it might be a trap but your mother seemed so earnest…"
Regina shook her head. "There is no trap. No guards waiting to arrest you. And I promise you can leave if that's what you want."
He nodded, smiling softly. "Thank you."
"May I ask you something?" When he nodded, she took a deep breath and continued: "What did my mother tell you to get you here?"
Robin's smile faded and he grew somber. "She found me trying to buy medicine for my son. He's been sick since he was born and the medicines he needs is hard to come by. Your mother said you could provide those medicines for me."
Pain filled her. Would her mother really have brought her someone she knew was married? Was this to torment her with the life she could've had if she hadn't been too scared to go into the tavern?
She wanted to turn him away, to tell him to go back to his wife and son. Yet she couldn't turn away someone who was clearly a loving father who wanted to save his young son. Nor could she stand to think of a baby in such distress.
"I can," she said softly. "Have you had a physician look him over?"
He shook his head. "I can't afford one nor can I risk discovery by inviting one to my camp. One of my men, a learned friar, has been caring for my son."
She knew many friars held good medical knowledge, though not the same as a trained physician. Regina knew what she had to do would be painful for her but she was used to pain by now. "Then go back to your camp and bring your family here to my palace. One of my physicians will tend to the boy until he is better."
Relief crossed his features and he took her hand, bringing it to his lips. She felt a jolt go through her when his lips made contact with her skin and quickly pulled her hand back. He didn't seem fazed by the rather rude gesture, smiling widely. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I appreciate this."
"You're welcome," she said. "Now go. I will let my guards know that they can let you in when you return."
With one last bow, Robin was gone.
Cora was waiting for her, smiling widely as Regina returned to her rooms. "Well? How did it go?" she asked.
Anger bubbled up inside Regina, boiling her blood. She slammed her hand down. "How did it go? He has a son, which I assume means he has a wife. So how do you think it went?"
"Oh, Regina," she sighed, sounding apologetic.
"Don't, Mother. You had to know. He said you told him that he could get medicine for his sick son here," Regina replied, sitting down at her vanity.
Cora sighed. "True. But I thought if the fairy was right about him being your soulmate, it would be a small problem we could deal with."
"Like you dealt with Eva," Regina snapped. She then turned around to glare at her mother. "Or Daniel?"
Her mother's shoulders sagged. "I really was trying, Regina. I'm not perfect…"
"Well, that's a first. Cora Mills admitting she's not perfect," Regina sneered. She turned her back to her Mother again. "Good night, Mother."
"Regina…" Cora started to plead.
"Good. Night. Mother."
Regina continued to stare at her reflection, absentmindedly brushing her hair until she heard her door close behind her mother's retreating form. She then laid the brush down and stood, passing her full-length mirror. Her full reflection stared back at her, taunting her. The young, innocent-looking ingenue all dolled up to meet the love of her life. It was a joke.
With a wave of her hand, the gown was replaced with her black nightgown. Her hair was braided and her face wiped clean of makeup. She still looked young and like an ingenue. However, there was no leading man waiting for her.
Her life was a tragedy, not a romance.
Robin returned to the palace the following afternoon. Her guards brought him to her study, leaving him there without a word. She wore a long black lace gown with a tight bodice and long lace sleeves. Her hair was pulled up into a bun and her makeup was immaculate, including her reddest lipstick. She had her armor on to protect against the rest of the world.
He tilted his head as he took her in. "Well, this is certainly a different look from last night."
"Last night was an anomaly," she said, standing. Her eyes focused on the bundle of blankets in his arms and when she looked in, she found a sleeping baby in them. The child was pale and she could feel him struggling for air. She frowned. "It's his lungs."
"That's what Friar Tuck said," Robin replied. "Can your physician help him?"
She nodded, her heart breaking as she watched the small baby struggle for air. Regina looked up at Robin, seeing the desperation and hope in his eyes. She didn't want to let him down. "I'll send a servant to fetch the physician and I'll show you to your rooms. Is your wife waiting outside?"
A dark look passed through his eyes before he shook his head. "My wife died shortly after Roland's birth."
"I'm sorry," she said, her heart clenching at the pain in his eyes. She then glanced down at the baby in his arms. "How have you been feeding him?"
"With my waterskin," he said. "No one will refuse a hungry baby some goat's milk. It's been nourishing him."
She nodded. "That sounds good. I have plenty of goat's milk for him too. We'll need to make certain he's nourished. That will help him as much as whatever medicines my physician gives him."
"Thank you," Robin said, sounding relieved. "I just…I can't lose him. He's all I have."
All he had. For a moment, Regina envied the fact he had someone to love, someone who needed him. That he had a tangible reminder of his wife while all she had were memories of Daniel.
She then thought about how he had lost someone he loved, like her, and how he seemed to be a broken soul just like her. Perhaps that came with them being soulmates, allow them to connect better. She wondered this as she led Robin down to his rooms.
Regina gave herself a mental shake. She hardly knew this man, just that pixie dust once said he was her soulmate. That was years ago and they were different people. Were they still soulmates then? And was that enough to sustain a relationship? What if he hated her? What if she hated him?
Her mind came to a resolution: she would honor her promise to help restore his son's health. She would see what happened during that time but she knew that in the end, she was going to watch him go back to his life and leave her alone once again.
"This is your room," she said, opening the door. It was a nice sized room that must seem large to someone living in a tent in the forest. She had had her servants light a fire in the hearth so it was warm for him and his family. A large bed meant for two sat in the middle of the room and a cradle was set up next to it. A table sat in one corner with a few chairs around it and there was a large vanity as well as a wardrobe.
Robin stepped inside, eyes widening as he took it all in. "This is just for me and Roland?"
"Well, I had thought there would be…I mean, yes, it's all for you and Roland," she said, feeling a bit awkward. She motioned to another door. "There's a tub in there you can use. Just summon my servants and they'll fill it with hot water for you. They can also bring up a little tub if you want to bath Roland."
His expression softened and he gave her a little half-smile. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I appreciate this. Truly."
"The physician should be with you shortly," she said, starting to back up. She motioned to a gold cord by the door. "If you need anything, just pull the rope."
With that, she turned and fled down the hallway.
At first, Regina tried to avoid Robin and Roland. She had purposefully put them in a room far from her own and made certain to avoid their hallway whenever she wanted to go somewhere. Her physician gave her daily reports so she didn't have to go check on the baby or his father. And the times she almost ran into the two in her gardens, she only admitted to herself that she ran off in the other direction. One time, she used magic to return to her room, which scared the chambermaid cleaning it.
However, Roland's prognosis wasn't good. "I am doing everything I can, Your Majesty, but the child's lungs just aren't strong enough," her physician reported. "I am afraid all we can do is keep him comfortable in his final days."
The answer wasn't good enough for Regina and she dismissed him with a wave of her hand. She glanced around her study and smiled. If medicine couldn't heal the boy, perhaps magic could.
Regina took a deep breath and walked toward Robin's room for the first time since his arrival. A maid left the room, closing the door behind her. The frightened young woman dropped to her knees before Regina. "I was just cleaning, Your Majesty."
"I would hope so," Regina snapped. "It is your job."
The chambermaid looked near tears and Regina sighed. "Are the thief and his son still inside?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," the girl replied, voice shaky. "They are both asleep, though."
"Good. You can go now." Regina waved her off and waited until the girl had disappeared around a corner before opening the door.
Like the maid had said, Robin was asleep on top of the covers of his bed. He laid on his side, facing the cradle that contained his son. Regina tiptoed carefully around the bed, trying hard not to study him as he slept. She needed to guard her heart before it could be broken yet again.
Yet her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own and cared little for her fragile heart. They swept his long form, clad in only a shirt and breeches, as he laid curled in slumber. They watched as his chest rose and fell in a rhythmic pattern. They studied how even in sleep all his worries were clear on his face, wrinkles appearing between his brows and his lips turned down in a frown. Her fingers then betrayed her, reaching out to try to smooth away his troubles.
Little coughs stopped her before she could touch Robin. She turned to find Roland writhing in his cradle, unable to get comfortable as he struggled for air. Her heart pounded in her chest as she picked the infant up, cradling him close. She could feel his labored breathing and how wet every cough was. There was fluid in his lungs, she knew, and they had to drain it.
"Come on, little one," she whispered to the baby. "Let's make you feel better, hmm?"
She rocked Roland as she left his father to his rest, knowing it would be easier for her to work without him hovering over her. Regina began to hum as she returned to her study. It was a lullaby her father used to sing to her when she was a girl and it made her smile.
Roland opened his eyes, revealing they were a beautiful shade of brown. Along with his dark curls and tan complexion, Regina knew he had to favor his mother. She ignored how this indicated that Robin had been attracted to a woman who shared physical characteristics with her—dark hair, dark eyes, a darker complexion than usually found in the Enchanted Forest. It only gave her a false hope that love could come to her again.
She cursed that wretched excuse for an overgrown bug and her stupid pixie dust.
The baby writhed in her arms, letting out little mewls. Regina realized she was holding him too tight and that he no doubt was picking up on her anger. She loosened her hold on him as she apologized to him. "I promise not to squeeze you like that again. I won't hurt you," she vowed.
It still felt like a lie.
Regina conjured up a little cradle near her desk and laid him inside it. Next came a blanket and she tucked him, cooing to him the whole time. "There you go. You just rest and I'll try to find something to make you feel better, okay?"
He let out a little yawn in response, brown eyes closing yet again. She rubbed his little body until he fell asleep, still having trouble breathing.
Straightening up, Regina turned to her books with a determined look in her eyes. "Let's find you a cure, Roland."
Regina tossed another book aside, letting out a frustrated groan. From his cradle, Roland began to cry and cough. Panic and guilt seized her as she reached for the baby to comfort him. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to startle you."
He only cried louder as she continued to rock him and she felt at a loss. She would give him anything he wanted…if only she knew what it was. "What do you need, sweetheart?" she pleaded.
"He's hungry," Robin said. She looked up to find him standing in the doorway to her study, holding his waterskin.
Robin crossed the room toward her, holding his arms for his son. Regina gave him the crying child, watching as Roland's little lips closed around the waterskin, sucking in the goat's milk inside. He calmed down and his eyes closed again as he rolled closer to his father's chest.
"I didn't know he was hungry," she said stupidly. Of course the baby was going to get hungry. Why hadn't she thought that's what his cries meant?
His father nodded. "I've come to recognize his different cries. I am his father, after all."
"Right," she said, turning back to her books. She opened one full of healing spells, though she doubted it would be useful.
Robin leaned over her shoulder. "That looks like it's magic."
"You can read," she said sarcastically. "I didn't know they had books in the forest."
"I'm going to let that pass since you're trying to save my son, but I won't let you use magic on him," he said, serious.
She felt anger radiating off him and she looked up, frowning. "My physician can't find anything else to help Roland. Magic may be his best…"
"No." He turned and started to walk away.
His apparent dismissal of her and her hard work made her see red and she stood, slamming her hands down on her desk. "And why not? It might be the only way to save Roland."
"I used magic once before," he said, keeping his back to her. "It kept Marian alive but only long enough to give birth to Roland. And now he's sick. I was told all magic has a price."
"It does," she confirmed in a softer tone.
He turned his head, letting her see him in profile as he gazed at his son. Sorrow and guilt clung to him as he asked: "What if this the price I have to pay for trying to use magic to save them?"
Robin's pain spoke to her own and she felt her walls against him crumbling down. She approached him cautiously, not wanting to scare him off. "No, I don't think this is the price for the magic you used. And if anyone is going to have to pay a price this time, it's me."
"And you would pay it?" Robin asked, turning to face her. He held out Roland, who had filled his belly and fallen asleep in his father's arms. "You would pay it for a child that isn't yours and who you just met?"
She met his eyes, seeing disbelief yet hope in his blue irises, and said: "Yes."
"Why?" he asked.
"Because no child should suffer like this," she said, running a finger along Roland's smooth skin. "And no parent should lose a child. Even a thief who lives in the forest."
"Thank you," he said softly. Then he smiled. "Who knew an Evil Queen had a soft spot for children?"
She raised a finger. "Don't press your luck, thief."
"I won't," he said, rocking Roland. "May I stay? Perhaps help you?"
Regina sighed, wanting to keep her distance from him but not wanting to be parted from him or Roland. She hated feeling torn like this. But she nodded. "Just don't get in my way."
"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied.
"We'll see," she scoffed. "We'll see."
True to his word, Robin did stay out of her way. He often sat off to the side, watching her and helping to read books when she needed him to. At first, they worked in silence with him breaking it only to ask a question here or there. Roland slept in his cradle between them and Regina believed it was a decent amount of space.
Robin then began to ask her questions that had nothing to do with their quest—sometimes they were just general questions about magic or about life in the castle. Then there were the more personal ones about her, ones she tried to deflect. He was undeterred, though, and began talking about himself and his life since she was close-lipped about hers.
He had been raised by a minor lord and his wife but had felt stifled by his life of privilege. When his parents had tried to arrange a marriage between him and the daughter of another family, Robin had balked. He had found the girl frivolous and vain, someone he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with. Robin's father had issued an ultimatum—marry the girl or be disowned.
Robin packed a few belongs in his sack and left that night.
At first, he was able to stay in inns with the money he had taken from his father. He spent his evenings carousing, his nights with lovely women and his days sleeping. Regina did the math and figured out that it was around the time she had been taken to the tavern by Tinkerbell. Most likely she would've ended up another notch in his bedpost before he moved on.
Some soulmate.
"I started to pick up friends from my nights galivanting around," he said, flipping through a book. "But as the money started to run out, I learned who really was my friend. That was the start of my Merry Men."
"Let me guess. That's also when you started stealing?"
He nodded. "It was."
At first, he said it was easy as many of the other nobles hadn't known that Robin had been disowned by his father. He was granted entry to their fine homes and received invitations to their parties. Once inside, he could sneak his men in and they were able to ransack the houses for gold, jewels and anything that might fetch a handsome price at markets. It supported his lifestyle for a few more months.
Of course, the nobles began to notice they were being robbed and started to pinpoint Robin as the common denominator. Then they started to receive word that Robin technically was no longer one of them and they shunned him accordingly. Many set sheriffs and their own guards after him, beginning Robin's life on the run.
His skills as a thief grew sharper and he was legendary with his bow. Robin and his Merry Men kept moving around, stealing whatever they needed…and some things they didn't. "And that's how I met Marian," he said.
Regina's heart constricted and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear how her fated soulmate fell in love with someone else, married her and had a child. Yet she sat there, pretending to read as he recounted stealing a horse from Marian's family and how she demanded he give it back. "She changed my life in many ways," he said. "I first tried to give up being a thief but that didn't quite pan out. So then I started to steal from the rich and gave it to the poor, to make their lives better. It felt better than any amount of ale and dancing."
"How noble," she replied, surprised when it came out free from any sarcasm or disdain.
It seemed to surprise him too, judging by how his eyebrow went up. "I would think you would berate me for breaking the law."
"I've learned that sometimes, we do the wrong things for the right reasons," she said.
He nodded, closing his book before motioning to hers. "Have you found anything?"
She felt like she had been jolted from a dream and realized she had been staring at the same page for a long time. Regina shook her head. "Not yet. But I'm not going to give up."
"I didn't think you would," he said, smiling softly as he reached over to take her hand. A jolt raced up her arm as he squeezed it.
Regina pulled away as soon as possible and stood up, closing the book. "I think that's enough for today. Why don't you and Roland go get some rest?"
His face fell but he nodded, picking up the sleeping infant. "Roland's going to be hungry soon. I should go. I'll see you tomorrow, Regina?"
She hated how he felt the need to pose it as a question, as if it wasn't an automatic assumption. Regina swallowed and nodded. "Of course."
"Good," he said, sounding relieved. The soft smile returned. "Good night, Regina."
He walked across the room and left, the door closing behind him. Only then did she say: "Good night, Robin."
Regina began to open up to Robin after that, telling him about her tense relationship with her mother and short-lived romance with Daniel. He listened to her, handing her a handkerchief after she finished recounting how her mother had killed Daniel. "Is that why you're so intent on capturing Snow White? Because you blame her for his death?"
"I told her it was a secret," she said, dabbing at her eyes. She hated crying in front of anyone and Robin still was no exception. "Yet she turned around and told my mother anyway. Because of that, Daniel died."
He was quiet before nodding. "I see. But will it really do anything? Killing Snow White?"
She frowned, regretting telling him about it. Of course he would side with the sweet princess. Regina threw the handkerchief back at him. "Get out."
"Regina," he said, almost pleadingly.
"It's 'Your Majesty,' thief," she snapped.
He held up his hands. "I'm not saying you shouldn't kill Snow White. I know the pain you are going through. But killing Snow White will only provide a temporary relief from that pain. Because once the vindication wears off, Daniel will still be dead."
She paused, pressing her hand to her stomach as she fought the fresh tears threatening to fall. "It's not fair. She deserves to be punished."
"Yes, she does," he said, stepping closer. "Have you ever told her why you hate her?"
"She knows. I don't think she gets the severity of what she did, though," Regina replied, hugging herself. "I don't think she's sorry."
He approached her cautiously. "Then I support you making her feel sorry. Just…don't hang everything on revenge, okay? Punish her and then move on."
Regina almost laughed. Everyone else had kept telling her that getting her revenge wouldn't make her happy and that she should just move on. Robin was telling her almost the same thing, except that he agreed Snow needed some sort of punishment first. Maybe not death, she guessed, but something.
"Regina?" he asked again, hesitant to touch her.
She threw herself into his waiting arms and started to cry. He rubbed her back as she sobbed into his chest, feeling comfortable in a way she only felt with her own father. Robin wasn't going to call her weak or try to exploit her emotions for his own gain, she knew.
Perhaps that pixie dust had been right all along.
Once her tears had dried, Regina pulled away. Robin handed her his handkerchief again. "You can keep it this time," he said.
"Thank you," she replied with a chuckle. She took a deep breath. "Let's get back to the books, shall we? We can't waste any more time."
As Robin worked his way past her defenses and into her heart, so too did Roland. If Regina was honest, Roland had probably blown them apart before she was ready to admit it. The baby boy grew more comfortable with her and she swore he even started to smile whenever she held him.
So it broke her heart to listen to him struggle for breath, to watch him grow weaker before her eyes. Regina refused to give up, knowing she couldn't lose this child and not just because it would break Robin. It would break her too.
"Still nothing?" Robin asked her one day as he fed Roland.
Regina frowned. "Well, there is something…"
He jumped up and she hated that she had given him even an iota of hope. Her guilt grew when she heard it in his voice as he asked: "What is it?"
"It would remove the fluid in his lungs and heal them…but it involves light magic," she explained. "I only have dark magic."
Robin's brows furrowed and she took a deep breath to continue: "I'll keep looking. There has to be something…"
"I believe in you," he said.
It alleviated her guilt a bit and she nodded. "At least one of us does. I'll check another book…
"No." Robin gently gripped her wrist as she started to move away from him. "I believe that you can perform this spell."
She frowned, turning back to face him. "I told you. It involves light magic."
He took her hands in his. "I know. And I believe you can do light magic. There is good inside you, Regina. It's just been pushed aside by your need for revenge. And I'm sure others have tried to make you think all you had was dark magic for their own purposes."
"I suppose," she said, thinking about Rumpelstiltskin.
"You need to believe in yourself too," he said. "Believe in the part of you that has been working from sun up to long after sun down to find a cure for a baby you didn't carry and give birth too. That's where you'll find your light magic."
She knew it was impossible but his faith in her and the hope in his eyes drove her to nod. "Alright. We'll try it. I'm just going to need a few items. Meet me back here in an hour with Roland."
Robin laid Roland in the wicker carrier he had used to transport the boy to the palace, tucking his blanket around him. He glanced back at Regina. "You certain it won't hurt?"
"For the most part," she said. "If it involves light magic, I can't imagine it would also involve pain."
He nodded, stepping back. "Where do you want me to stand?"
"Right next to me," she said, holding out her hand in a wordless plea. He took her hand, lacing their fingers together.
Drawing strength from him, Regina turned to the open book and began chanting the spell. Robin's grip tightened on hers but she didn't stop. She continued to read, starting to see a white light out of the corner of her eye. Hope flared up inside her.
Maybe this would work.
Regina finished the spell as the white light died down. She turned, holding her breath as she took in Roland. He gummed his fingers, gurgling as he kicked his little feet. The spell didn't seem to have hurt him, but had it helped him?
"Come here, my boy," Robin said, picking up the baby. He held Roland close and relief crossed his face. "He's breathing easier. I don't hear any wheezing."
"Good," Regina replied, picking up the jar she had placed down at the start. It was full of a thick dark yellow ooze and she felt her stomach churn at the sight.
Robin stared at the jar in disgust. "That was in my son's lungs? No wonder he couldn't breathe."
"Well, it's out of them now," Regina said, putting the jar back down. She smiled as she placed her hand on Roland's back, happy to feel him breathing normally. "He's going to be just fine."
"Thank you so much." Relief and gratitude filled Robin's voice and eyes. He smiled at Roland, kissing his son's forehead.
She nodded, still rubbing Roland's back. "I'm glad I could help."
"I don't know how I'm going to repay you," he started but she held up her hand, shaking her head. She told him he owed her nothing, that just knowing Roland was going to alright was payment enough for her.
A strange look came over him and he lowered Roland back into the basket. Regina held her breath as he reached out, cupping one of her cheeks. Her heart sped up as she recognized the way his gaze dropped to her lips and she managed to pucker up right before his lips covered them.
The same jolt she felt when they touched raced through her as she melted into his embrace. She wasn't sure who deepened the kiss first, but his tongue was in her mouth and she clutched at his shirt as if trying to pull him closer. Robin felt like home, love, acceptance and hope. It thrilled her and she found herself wanting more, praying he would accept her invitation to stay. After that thought, her mind grew hazy except for one thing:
This was what a soulmate must feel like.