This is my fifth entry for Inspired by OQ week, based on a series of manips by orchidfeathers, which can be found on my Twitter.
This was all wrong.
It was the only thought echoing through Regina's mind as she stood in a beautifully decorate room located in a mansion designed to look like a European castle as people hurried around her. She stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror across from her, taking in the voluminous white gown she wore. The full skirt made her take up more room than she usually did, causing people to give the yards of satin forming the different tears of her skirt a wide birth. It also weighed her down and just walking from her bedroom to the middle of the room had been a chore. She couldn't imagine how she was to spend the rest of the day moving around in this unless she was going to be carried everywhere, though she doubted anyone would be able to pick her and the dress up.
The bodice was no better. It was a corset that was cinched so tight, Regina understood why Keira Knightley's character had fainted in that pirate movie. Regina struggled to take full breaths and she was certain blood was being cut off to some place vital. When she voiced her concerns, they were dismissed as more a product of her nerves than her dress being cinched too tight. Her mother had then said it didn't matter if she really couldn't breathe as her breasts were being displayed perfectly, making all the men who saw her picture want her and all the women want to be her. Mother had then adjusted the sheer off-the-shoulder sleeves to ensure they feel just right before walking away, allowing the sequins sewn into the bodice to reflect the sunlight and cast multicolored spots on the mirror.
Mother returned with the lacy veil, attaching it to the jeweled band wrapped around the half bun in Regina's dark hair. She arranged the curls hanging loose so they fell gently over Regina's shoulders before laying the veil just so over her locks. As Mother stepped back, all the activity in the room stopped and Regina felt every eye on her.
"You look like a fairy tale princess," Mary Margaret whispered, awe in her voice. Everyone murmured their agreement with that statement.
Regina didn't want to be a fairy tale princess. That was something right up Mary Margaret's alley. In fact, this dress wouldn't been perfect for her. Regina, though, didn't recognize herself in the mirror. She had to be staring at a stranger. This was not the dress she would ever choose for herself, it was not how she ever wore her hair, and she was pretty certain the makeup artist used pink eye shadow and lipstick.
She hated pink. She hated poofy princess dresses with sequins. She hated drafty castles in December. She hated peonies. She hated the silver and gold color scheme. She hated gold ballgowns. She hated chamber music. She hated pâté and duck and pretentious haute cuisine. She hated the nearly three hundred strangers waiting for her downstairs. She hated the man standing at the end of the aisle. She hated this wedding. Hated, hated, hated, hated, hated…
Letting out a primal scream, she sank to her knees as white satin material billowed around her. She pulled at the veil in her hair, determined to get it off as quickly as possible. Regina clawed at it, hearing a satisfying rip. It sent joy bubbling through her and she kept pulling, hearing rip after rip as she laughed hysterically.
Once the veil was in tiny pieces in her hand, she tossed them in the air like confetti. She slipped off the designer jewel-encrusted heels she wore, taking them in her hands before she wobbled to her feet. Pieces of lace surrounded her on the floor. Her bridesmaids stared at her in horror, unsure what to do, while the photographer cowered in the corner. Mother, though, advanced with a scowl as she scolded Regina like she was a misbehaving toddler. "What was that all about?"
It was about how Mother pushed Regina toward Sidney even after she expressed no interest in the man. It was about how Mother helped him plan the proposal, ambushing Regina in the middle of a gala attended by everyone they knew and trapping her. It was about how she felt she had no choice but to say yes. It was about Mother convincing her not to break the engagement the next morning despite Regina's serious misgiving. It was about how Mother didn't want the "public embarrassment" of having to rescind the engagement news after all their peers watched Regina get engaged. It was about how Mother insisted that Regina was not getting any younger and her choices in suitable husbands were shrinking, especially ones willing to marry her despite her infertility. It was about Mother completely taking over wedding preparations and ignoring every one of Regina's preferences. It was about how Regina felt like she was screaming out for help but Mother made sure no one could hear or help her. It was about how in the end, all of this was about Mother showing off to her friends and enemies rather than about Regina's happiness.
The blood pumping through her veins boiled. All Regina saw was the woman who was supposed to support her and care about her happiness and well-being. Instead, Cora Mills only cared about her status and being better than everyone else, no matter the cost—even her own daughter.
Cora Mills was no longer Mother. She didn't deserve the title.
With another scream, Regina hurled one of the shoes at Cora. She was unable to duck in time and it collided with her face. Cora turned, her hands flying up to her face. Blood seeped through her fingers as the others gasped and yelled in horror.
"Get out!" Regina screamed at them. They took steps back but no one made a move toward the door. She raised her other shoe, threatening to throw it as well. "GET OUT!"
Everyone raced for the door at that point, with Aurora Briar escorting Cora out of the room as the woman tried to keep the blood from staining her gown. The photographer followed them, slamming the door behind her.
Alone, Regina heard how the blood pounded in her ears and felt her heart racing in her chest. She panted, still struggling to fill her lungs. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she looked like something from a horror film. Her hair was a knotted mess and the bun had fallen out. The jeweled band had been torn along with the veil and now was tangled up in one of her curls. As she reached up to pull it out, one of her sheer sleeves finally broke and one long piece of material hung down the front of her dress and threatened to pull down the corset enough to bare a breast. The skirts was wrinkled and her face was splotchy, mascara running down her cheeks—when did she start crying and why hadn't the makeup artist used either waterproof mascara or at least a clear one?
She looked like an absolute mess yet she also looked…free. Her fingers went limp, letting her shoe fall to the floor where it landed with a dull thud against the carpet. She looked over her reflection and smiled, letting out a soft laugh as a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
Regina bent down and gathered up as much of the skirt as she could hold. Lifting it up, she shuffled to her bedroom, where she collapsed onto her bed. She didn't care if she got makeup on the blankets or pillows. She would just tip housekeeping extra as an apology for it.
After several moments, she rolled onto her back so she could breath fresh air. She stared at the ceiling as she clasped her hands on her stomach, taking stock of her life and her options going forward.
Her entire life had been dictated by her mother. Not even her father had had much of a say in it either. She went to the schools Cora deemed the best, participated in extracurricular activities Cora picked out for her, wore clothes she bought for Regina, chose who Regina associated with, chose the college Regina went to and picked her major for her. It trapped her in a job she hated calling people she barely tolerated her friends. And it had almost trapped her in a loveless marriage to a man who believed her main purpose in life was to serve him.
She was done with Cora and done with her expectations. After all, it was Regina's life. The only person who got a say in it was her. It was time to make several changes, including quitting her job and moving from New York. She had never been much of a city girl, wanting a life in the countryside. Regina had always been drawn to the quaint little towns upstate, ones with country fairs and where everyone knew each other. She had enough in her savings to buy a house and to take the time to look carefully for a job. Regina wasn't too sure what the future held for her but she knew it was going to be a lot happier than the past.
Though if she was honest, she had an idea of what she wanted her future to look like but knew it was no longer a possibility. Her heart broke as she thought of bright blue eyes, a beautiful smile flanked by dimples and strong arms that held her close. She closed her eyes, surrounded by the phantom scent of pine and oak, ones that comforted her ways she had never expected. Her lower lip trembled and a lump formed in her throat as she recalled how happy and loved she had been for a brief moment, all thanks to him.
Robin Locksley.
He ran a nonprofit organization that served underprivileged children. She and Sidney had attended a fundraiser, which was how she got to meet him. Robin had explained how he worked with community partners to provide resources for the children, from clothes donations to mentorships. He wanted to give them opportunities otherwise denied to them, to give them the tools they needed to improve their lives and their communities. Robin taught them the importance of giving back and serving others, which she admired. She had asked how she could further support the organization and he had happily signed her up as a volunteer.
She had then spent almost a year working with him and the children he served. Regina had been a mentor to a young woman looking to go into politics, helping her get into a prestigious academy that would nurture her potential. She had also spent time with the girl, helping her adjust to private school after public school and tutoring her when necessary. It had impressed Robin and he had taken her out to dinner to thank her.
As they shared a meal, Regina found herself drawn to Robin. He had a big heart and a desire to help others. She admired how he had built the non-profit from the ground up, how he was able to inspire and lead people—just like her. Outside of his work, Robin was funny, intelligent and could match her tit for tat when it came to sass. He kept her on her toes and she liked that about him. A few hours with him felt like only a few minutes and she was always hesitant to part form him. She started to find out other ways to spend more time with him, volunteering more and more. In the process, she fell in love with the youth his organization served.
She also fell in love with him.
It hadn't been some big grand gesture that had revealed her true feelings for him. Rather, they had been painting a local community center with the youths in the programs. She and Robin had worked side by side, talking and making each other laugh. They kept "accidentally" bumping each other's arms, with it getting more and more obvious each time until they were attempting to paint each other. She chased him around the property, the two of them trying to stay out of reach of each other's brushes. They each got some good swipes until Regina tripped over a crack in the pavement. She felt herself pitch forward but Robin caught her easily, his strong arms holding her up. Her arms went around his neck, the two locking eyes.
Everything else melted away in that moment. All she heard was the pounding of her heart and all she felt was his arm holding her up. She noticed how blue his eyes were in the sunlight, matching the color of the paint smeared across his cheek. There had to be some on her face and she briefly wondered if it looked as good on her as it did on him. It passed as her gaze dropped to his lips, bringing with it the overwhelming desire to kiss him. Her lips parted and her eyes started to close, anticipating the moment his lips would brush hers.
The moment never came. He righted her before excusing himself quickly. She stood there, confused, and wondered what had just happened. Had she misread the signals? Did he not feel the same thing she felt for him? Was what she felt just unrequited love?
Her final thought left her breathless. She loved Robin, loved him in the way she had always fantasized about loving her partner but never thought she would given how things operated in her world. It made her feel as light as a feather but then as heavy as a rock as she considered the fact that Robin didn't love her back.
She decided to give him his space and would wait for him to seek her out, to see how he acted. Regina would nurse her heartbreak and move on. Hopefully, their friendship could be saved.
To her relief, Robin reached out to her only a couple days later. He invited her to help on another project and when she got there, it was like the incident at the community center had never happened. They laughed, joked and talked with each other and all felt right with the world.
However, their near kiss haunted her. She dreamed about kissing him. When they were together, she swore there more and more moments where her mind played tricks on her, made her think that he was about to kiss her. It was driving her mad. She knew she had to talk to him about it and deal with the consequences later.
Regina followed him to his office after a park cleanup. She was dressed in a ratty t-shirt and an old pair of jeans, a bandana wrapped around her head to keep her hair back. It was a far cry from the polished look and designer outfits her mother had always made her wear and she loved it. Just as she loved watched Robin pull on an ivory sweater over his t-shirt and jeans, rolling up the sleeves just enough to reveal his tattoo—a lion roaring against a black crest. She admired him before gathering her wits about her, asking him about all the moments they had been experiencing. Regina asked about the near kisses and the way he made her feel like the only woman in the world. She confessed that she had strong feelings for him and wanted to know if they were returned.
He was silent for a few moments before he leaned against his desk. Anguish filled his eyes as he admitted that he loved her. Her heart soared as she stepped closer, smiling at him. But her joy was short-lived as he continued.
"I know, though, nothing can happen," he said. "So I try to keep my distance and not give into my desire to kiss you senseless."
She frowned. "Why?"
He raised his eyebrow before reaching out for her left hand, lifting it up to reveal the square cut diamond resting on the ring finger. "You're engaged to another man. It wouldn't be honorable for me to kiss you whilst you are promised to someone else. I would not put you in the position to betray your future husband."
"I forgot about that," she said, truthfully. There was just something about Robin that made her real life seem more like a fantasy and the one she shared with him feel like reality.
She pulled her hand away from him, looking up at him. "What do we do now?"
"I guess that depends on you," he said. "Do you want to leave your fiancé?"
Yes. The answer was "yes" a million times over. However, what she wanted didn't matter in this scenario. With a sinking heart, she replied: "I can't leave him."
He nodded. "Then we can never be."
"I wish…" She swallowed, trying to resist the urge to cry but failing. "I wish things were different, Robin."
"Me too," he replied softly, walking away. He tapped his desk, swallowing visibly. It was clear he was as upset as she was. "I…I thank you for everything you've done for our organization, Regina, but I think…I think it best if you found another cause to devote your time and energy to."
Tears rolled hot down her face as she realized what he was doing. He was breaking up with her, ending their relationship. Part of her knew it was for the best. If they continued to see each other, the temptation would grow stronger and stronger until she did cheat on Sidney. And she didn't want to use a good and honorable man like Robin for that. He didn't deserve to be her dirty little secret. The other part of her wanted him to ask her to run away with him, to start their lives over together somewhere far away. Yet he would never leave his organization and her mother would never let her leave. She would find them and destroy Robin. It was best for them to part ways, no matter how much it hurt.
"You're…right. Thank you for the opportunities. Tell everyone I love them and I'm still rooting for them," she said. She turned out of the office before she completely lost her composure, sobbing uncontrollably once she got to her car. As she glanced through the windshield, she saw Robin watching her from his window. His eyes were red and puff and he looked just as heartbroken as her.
Life really wasn't fair.
Walking away from Robin had been the hardest thing she had ever done. She missed him every day and had resisted the urge to reach out to him several times before the wedding. Each time she convinced herself that she could just walk away from the wedding, her mother's voice in her head told her she couldn't. Love played no role in their world. Sidney had everything she should want—a good pedigree, a good education, a good job, a good salary, and a good reputation. Money and reputation were worth more than happiness and only silly little girls believed otherwise.
That type of life philosophy as well as the rule and duties expected of her because of her family's position in society had guided Regina's life, creating a cage that had trapped her. She didn't feel like she was truly living, just going through the motions. Her time with Robin had proved that. She had never felt so free or so alive than when she was around him. His only expectation of her was that she show up and give as much as she could comfortably give to the children and teens. Robin never judged nor told her what to do, when to do it and how to do it. He treated her like a person with her own agency—her own thoughts, ideas, wants, needs, passions. Robin didn't put her in a cage, like everyone else did to her—including herself. She realized now that the only person who could truly free her was herself. It was going to be scary but she needed to overcome the fears Cora had instilled in her—fear of being a disappointment, fear of failure, fear of being an outcast. Once she did that, she knew she would find happiness.
Lying there in her ruined wedding gown and wild curls, Regina made the decision to do just that. She was done living her life according to how other people thought she should live, people who were never satisfied no matter how many achievements she reached and who always made her feel like a failure. It was her life and the only one who got a say in it was her. She would burn the cage down and go find her happiness, wherever it lied. And if she was lucky, perhaps she would find her way back to Robin again.
Renewed by her new outlook on life, Regina sat up. She needed to get out of the dress and start taking steps in the new direction she wanted to go. That meant going downstairs to talk to Sidney and their guests, to close that chapter of her life for good.
Once she was upright, she realized she was not alone. Her father stood in the doorway, his shoulders slumped. It made it look like his tuxedo was too big for him. Daddy watched her with sad eyes and it seemed he had aged a decade since she saw him at breakfast only a few hours earlier. It concerned her and she frowned. "Daddy?"
He rushed over to her, gathering her up in his arms as she sat on the bed. She hugged him back, not sure who needed it more—him or her. He wasn't entirely blameless in all of this as he never was able to stand up to Cora, to get her to stop controlling Regina's life. Yet Regina knew he loved her and wanted only her happiness, doing whatever he felt he could do to help her. He had tried to get Cora to back off on her goal of getting Regina to marry Sidney—he hadn't approved of the man dating Regina let alone marrying her—but she had steamrolled over him just like she had Regina. When it seemed nothing could stop the wedding, he had an ironclad pre-nup drawn up for when the marriage inevitably ended. It was a small thing and not necessarily what she had needed at that moment, but it was a sign he was trying to protect her in some way.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. The two words could carry so much meaning behind them but Regina didn't know what exactly he meant—was he sorry for not stopping Cora? Sorry for his role in building the cage she had been trapped in? Sorry for not giving her the support she needed so she could've built her own life? Sorry for helping her find the strength to turn down the proposal or stopped this whole circus before it got to this point? Or maybe he was just sorry for everything in general.
He pulled away, stroking her hair as unshed tears pooled in his eyes. "I always knew this day would come. That all the expectations and limits put on you by your mother and our stupid concerns about what others would think if we all didn't act the way they thought we should act would be too much and you would be pushed over the edge. I just hoped that you would find the fire I could see smoldering inside you and fight rather than let it go out as your spirit was broken. I didn't want to see you turn to the other remedies others like us have turned to when they reached their breaking points—alcohol, drugs, shopping, greed, whatever they could find to either numb their pain or fill the emptiness in their life. Or worse—just shut down and go through the motions, like I did. I should've done more to prevent this, to protect and support you better. I don't deserve to be called your father."
Every word was laden with regret and she knew he blamed himself for all of this. He too was just as much a victim of their circumstances, ending up with a wife who didn't love him and barely tolerated him. A wife who had made him feel like he couldn't even save his own daughter and made him feel like a failure, letting his self-hatred fester inside him. It was enough to make her want to continue having a relationship with him, even though she was done with Cora. Perhaps their relationship would become even stronger once free of her influence. They could heal the wounds she had inflicted on them together.
"Oh, Daddy," she gasped, her tears returning. "I'm going to fight and not try to numb the pain. I promise you that."
Relief spread across his face. "What re you going to do?"
"I'm walking away from all of this bullshit. I'm going to figure out who Regina Mills is, who she wants to be and what happiness means to her," she replied.
"That sounds wonderful," he told her with a sad smile. "Just promise me you'll think of me from time to time, okay?"
Her heart broke at the idea that Daddy thought she was walking away from him. She would always be a daddy's girl and she took his hand. "I know you make me happy, Daddy. You will always be part of my life though she won't. You just have to be okay with that."
"Oh, I am," he said, smiling. Regina didn't have to clarify who she meant—he knew and understood.
She laughed before giving his hand a squeeze. "Who knows? Maybe you'll find your own happiness too."
"My happiness will be your happiness," he told her, gently cupping her chin.
A knock interrupted their sweet father-daughter moment. Regina looked up to find her friend Mal standing there, smirking. "It was decided that I was the least likely to get a shoe thrown at me so I've been sent to check on you. Are you okay?"
"Yes," Regina said, taking as deep of a breath as possible and letting it out slowly. She smiled. "I am."
Mal nodded. "So…what happens now?"
"Now? I have a wedding I needed to call off," she said before picking up the very wrinkled skirt of her dress. "But first, I need to get out of this dress. Think you can help with that?"
This was the most awkward thing Regina had ever done.
She walked down the aisle as silence filled the room, everyone's eyes on her. Instead of her white gown, she wore the gray sweater dress she had packed for the bon voyage breakfast that had been planned the next day before she and Sidney were to head off on their honeymoon. She paired it with dark leggings and black boots, trying to be as comfortable and warm as possible. Regina had also taken a shower to get rid of all the makeup she wore and wash out all the product in her hair. She had dried it, letting her natural curls fall loose and frame her face, and had gone with a more natural look when it came to her makeup. Before she left the room, she had glanced at the mirror and finally saw herself looking back.
Her eyes locked onto Sidney, who stood in front of the justice of the peace dressed in his top hat and tails and with a scowl on his face. It stoked Regina's anger as she remembered he was the reason she had to make this embarrassing trek. She had sent her father into the room to ask Sidney to meet her in a private room nearby, with the plan being that Mal would then go in and tell the guests the wedding was off as Regina gently broke things off with Sidney. He had sent back word that she had kept him and their guests waiting long enough and wouldn't go anywhere until she came to him.
"Regina, what is going on?" he asked.
"We need to talk," she replied. "Please, let's go next door and do that."
He shook his head. "We can talk here. Is this about your mother? Because she wants the wedding ceremony to go on. She'll be back later."
"This is not about my mother," Regina replied. "Please, let's just go next…"
"Then it's about your dress," he interrupted. "I heard something may have happened to it. We can find a new one for you…"
She grew more frustrated. This always happened—he never truly listened to her and just kept talking her over her. No more. "This isn't about the fucking dress, Sidney!"
He paused, taken back by her swearing. It was something he was always chiding her for like she was a child. She could see his rage simmering below the surface. "Then what it is about, Regina? I think you owe our guests an explanation and an apology for making them wait."
"One," she said, holding up a finger as she glared at him. "You will stop talking to me like a child. I am a grown ass woman, Sidney."
She then turned to face the guests. "There won't be a wedding today. I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused."
"She doesn't mean that," Sidney said, letting out a fake laugh. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close as he hissed. "Why did you say that?"
"I am not going to marry you, Sidney. Not today, not ever," she said, holding out an open ring box. Her engagement ring sat inside. She thrust it into his chest with such force, he let her go as he rubbed his chest while also clutching the box.
She backed away. "It's over, Sidney. I wish you the best but please, leave me alone."
Daddy held out his arm and she took it, letting him escort her back down the aisle. She heard Sidney following her and he was no longer hiding his anger. "No! You don't get to walk away from this or me! We're getting married, whether you want to or not! I will see you in court and you'll see! I WILL MAKE YOU MARRY ME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!"
People gasped and Mal came charging down the aisle. "There is no law to force someone to marry you but go ahead, file your suit and make a fool of yourself, Sidney. I look forward to decimating you on the stand. Until then, you will not contact my client."
Regina smiled as Daddy hurried her down the aisle. Someone else took her arm and she glanced up, relieved to see David Nolan there. He was in cop mode and his eyes kept scanning the room for any threat to her as they left.
"Bring her in here," Mary Margaret said, the only bridesmaid still around. She stood by a door, motioning for Daddy and David to bring her in there. Mal followed them as well.
Once the door was closed, she slumped into a chair. "He's mad, right? It's not just me."
"I've always thought he was a bit unbalanced," Daddy said, crossing his arms. "This just proved it."
Mary Margaret sat down next to Regina and took her hand. "I am so sorry I didn't do more to try to stop this from happening. I got caught up in wedding fever."
Regina shook her head. "You and David both gave me chances to tell you what was really going on and I just kept doing what my mother wanted. And you're here now. That means everything to me."
They hugged before David asked. "What are you going to do now?"
"I guess lie low," she said, shrugging.
"You can stay at our place in the Hamptons," Mary Margaret said. "It's winter so no one will be there."
Regina thanked her as Mal entered the room. "Okay, Sidney's groomsmen got him to head back to his room and the place is letting guests go to the catering hall for a sit-down dinner instead of a reception."
"So now's my chance to get out of here," Regina replied. "I should get my luggage."
They all shook their heads, standing up. "We'll handle everything," Mary Margaret said. "You just stay here."
Once she was alone, Regina sank down in her chair as she figured out her plan. She'd go and spend what was supposed to be her honeymoon at the Blanchard residence in the Hamptons. There, she'd focus on some self-care and figure out a plan for when the week was up. She'd research jobs, look for a new place to live, maybe reach out to Robin…
Her heart hurt as she thought of him. She wished he was here now, helping her and supporting her through this all. Her phone was tucked away in her room or she would call him, just to hear his voice. She wanted it so much, she could almost hear it now…
"I believe the wedding is over, sir," someone said outside the door. "All the guests have moved into the catering hall. Do you want me to tell you how to get there?"
"No, that's okay," Robin replied, making her heart speed up. Was he really here? "I wasn't invited anyway. There was just someone I wanted to…Never mind, it doesn't matter. I'll just go. Thank you."
She stood up, racing toward the door. She needed to know if Robin was really there. And if so, she couldn't let him leave until she talked to him.
Regina stumbled into the hallway and her heart stopped when she saw him. He wore a gray coat and his best pair of slacks, dressed to come to a wedding. Robin walked away slowly, his shoulders slumped and his back hunched over. She didn't know what he was doing here but she was certainly glad to see him.
"Robin!" she called out. "Wait!"
He stopped and slowly turned, his blue eyes widening as he took her in. "Regina?"
She ran up to him, throwing her arms around him. "I'm so glad to see you."
"And I you," he said, cupping the back of her head with his hand. He held her for a few moments and she cherished being in his arms, closing her eyes as she took in his familiar pine scent.
He then pulled away, frowning. "I don't understand. What about your wedding?"
She shook her head. "I kinda had a breakdown earlier and realized marrying Sidney would be the biggest mistake of my life. What are you doing here?"
"I, uh, came to stop your wedding," he admitted sheepishly. He took her hands in his, lacing their fingers together. "I've been miserable since you left and I realized that I love you, Regina, and I needed to fight for you."
His confession made her spirits soar and her heart rate quicken. She stepped closer to him, smiling again. "Well, I appreciate the thought but you don't need to fight for me. I'm yours, if you want me."
"Oh, I do," he said, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. He gently pressed a kiss to her lips as she grabbed onto his coat, holding to it. Kissing him was everything she had hoped it would be and so much more. Her stomach flipped and she was certain she saw stars behind her eyelids.
It was absolutely perfect.
Bells rang, their sweet song echoing through the sleepy little town. A crowd gathered outside the small stone church as the doors opened to reveal the newly married couple. They raced down the stairs as their friends and family showered them with flower petals, pausing at the bottom of the stairs to share a kiss as everyone cheered.
Regina smiled as she broke the kiss, her hand gently caressing her husband's face. Robin wore an ivory suit with a pale blue cummerbund, which matched the pocket square in his jacket's breast pocket. The sunlight made his blond hair glow and his blue eyes sparkled as he smiled, revealing his beautiful dimples as his tongue poked out between his lips.
"What is it?" he asked, holding her closer.
She shook her head, smiling as well. "I just never thought I'd have this."
"Have what?" he asked, his smile dimming a bit.
"Happiness," she replied, resting her forehead against his cheek. "Thank you for that."
His smile brightened again as he kissed her forehead. "You did that on your own. I merely helped."
"You helped a lot," she said, smiling as she thought of the life she had built since calling off her wedding to Sidney. She had quit her job as a financial analyst and sold her apartment, moving to a cottage in this small town just outside New York City. Robin had moved in with her once his lease had been up and had given her a job with his organization. She oversaw all the finances and took over fundraising, using the connections she still had and her networking skills to their advantage. Thanks to her, they saw an increase in donations and she had been able to secure them grants they hadn't even known about. It allowed them to provide even more resources for the children and teens they helped.
She had rediscovered her love of horses, buying a beautiful brown stallion she named Rocinante to ride. Regina loved to take him out on the trails by their town, enjoying the peace and quiet of the woods. She and Robin also went on hikes out there and she lovingly tended the garden she planted in their yard. Apparently she was more of an outdoors person than she had thought. When she wasn't spending her time outside, she enjoyed spending time at home with Robin—either watching movies together or reading. Regina loved to learn new things and he supported her, even planning trips so could visit museums and historic sites that had caught her interest.
Regina supported his hobbies and interests, like his archery. She went to all his competitions, cheering him on from the sidelines and throwing get-togethers at their house for his friends. They had welcomed her with open arms and though it had been a bit awkward at first, they had slowly started to blend with the friends she still had from her old life, like Mary Margaret, David and Mal.
Together, she and Robin had built a life together. It had come as no surprise when after a special dinner he had prepared for her, he had gotten to one knee in their garden and asked her to marry him. She had said yes before he could finish the question. He slid the simple princess cut diamond onto her finger before rising to his feet so they could seal the engagement with a kiss.
Wedding plan hadn't been stress free but it was a lot more pleasant this time around since she and Robin were the ones in control. Regina avoided any type of ballgown when it came to her dress, her first one haunting her dreams until she found the perfect one. It was a lacy fit and flare sleeveless dress with a deep V-neckline that contained no other embellishments other than the beautiful patterns created by the lace. Regina loved how it looked classic but still had a modern feel to it and how it clung to her curves in a way that made her feel beautiful. She had bought it right away and it soon appeared in her dreams rather than the monstrosity Cora had made her wear.
Her hair and makeup had been done by the local beautician, a young woman who preferred to go by Tink. She had left Regina's curls intact and had pinned them up into a bun, weaving little white silk flowers into them. Regina's veil flowed down from there, falling to her mid-back. This time, she had opted for an organza veil rather than a lacy one. Her makeup also fit her style more—and there was not a trace of pink to be found on her face.
Rather than three hundred strangers, she and Robin had created a list of about one hundred friends and family—important people they wanted there to witness their special day. She had asked Mary Margaret to be her matron of honor while Mal served as one of her two bridesmaids—the other being Belle, one of Robin's friends and a longtime volunteer with his organization. Daddy was there to walk her down the aisle, approving whole-heartedly of Robin, who he considered the son he didn't have, and several members of Robin's family had flown in from England to be there. It was small and intimate compared to the grand celebration Cora had prepared—and that was just what they wanted.
"Regina, Robin, everyone is getting ready to head to the reception," Mary Margaret said, holding up the skirt of her light blue sheath dress as she approached them. "Are you two ready or do you need a few more moments?"
Regina smiled as Robin replied: "We could always use a few more moments but I'm afraid we would then miss the party entirely."
"That means we're ready to go too," Regina clarified when she saw Mary Margaret's confused expression.
Her friend walked away and the couple dissolved into laughter, holding each other up. Robin kissed her forehead again. "Shall we go eat, drink and be merry, Mrs. Locksley?"
"Absolutely, Mr. Locksley," she replied, taking his arm as they headed to the limo waiting for them.
It would take them to the site of their reception not far from the church—the local botanical gardens. Most of the flowers were in bloom as it was now June and Regina had fallen in love with the pavilion they had to accommodate wedding receptions. It was a beautiful day—not too hot and with only a few white puffy clouds in the sky—and the weather forecast promised an equally beautiful sight. Catering was being provided by the proprietor of Granny's, promising simple yet delicious meals for their guests.
There would be no pâté or duck at this reception.
And no peonies. She and Robin had opted for white gardenias floating in water filled bowls while sprigs of sweet peas—violet in color—rose up from the bowl. All the arrangements looked beautiful and had gone well with the light blue color scheme they had chosen for everything else.
With Robin's friend Alan handling the music, Regina knew their reception would be a joyous and fun event. They would spend time with the people they loved most in the world until the sun went down—and as the solstice was still a few days away, that promised to give them a long time together—before leaving to spend their wedding night at a hotel in the city courtesy of her father. The next day, they would board a seven-day cruise to the Caribbean and spend their honeymoon in different tropical locales, ready to spend the rest of their lives happy and free.
All was right.