A/N: Welcome back.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

. . .

The next morning, Robin was draped in expensive furs and silk, with royal jewels strung across his chest. He had a thousand things to think about, but the only thing on his mind was last night with Regina in his arms. Regina's skin, Regina's lips, Regina's smile.

He was pulled from this reverie by Lord Grey, who came up to him just as the ceremony was about to begin. Robin could hear the murmur of the crowd waiting outside to greet him.

"How did last night go?" The older man asked.

Robin's eyes widened. "I beg your pardon?"

The man laughed slyly. "Your wedding night."

"Are you the one who sent Regina to my room?"

Lord Grey looked taken aback. "Well, no one sent her anywhere, but Regina understands her duties. She knows what must be done. She knew with Leopold. Traditionally-,"

The words were enough to make Robin want to vomit.

"No. I don't give a damn about tradition. I'm sure with Leopold, it was different, but an hour from now I'm going to be your king. If anyone tries to make my wife do something she doesn't want to do, they will answer to me. No one commands the throne. She is your queen, and you will treat her as such."

The older man looked as though he might respond, but Robin didn't want to dignify him with the chance. He walked through the doors towards the crowd and he didn't look back.

Robin was going to take his regal vows on a small balcony overlooking the front gates. On the balcony were Snow, Regina, Robin, and the bishop. Regina looked stunning in a long-sleeved emerald gown, both her and Snow draped in similar majestic trappings. The murmurs of the crowd moved like one large creature just outside their walls. King Leopold, and many monarchs before him, had celebrated their coronation on the front steps of the castle with their subjects only a few feet below them. However, those kings had not had to save their wives from angry mobs.

Robin felt a tug on his cloak and turned to see Snow staring up at him.

"Are you nervous?"

He nodded. The bishop was staring at the pair of them rather disdainfully.

"Don't be," she whispered. "You'll have Regina and me to help."

An hour later, Robin was officially king. When the bishop declared him King Robin the First, the crowd erupted. It was deafening. As the crown was laid on his head, his name reverberating in chants through the crowd, he promised himself that no matter what obstacles he had to face, he would try his best no matter what. He had trained for this. Whether he liked it or not, he was ready, and the time to prove himself had come. At some point, Regina's hand wrapped around his, their entwined fingers hiding under the folds of his cloak.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his father cheering, shaking hands with the Royal Council. Fitting, Robin thought, that they'd be so happy. They had finally gotten what they wanted.

. . .

They were two hours into their carriage ride when Robin finally spoke. Regina assumed that he was incredibly tired, as he alternatively went from intermittently staring out the window to falling asleep and snoring lightly. She didn't blame him. The coronation had been long and boring and she could see people whispering about her in the crowd. On the other hand, Robin had looked very handsome in his regal garb and he looked at her this morning like a starving man ready to devour her, so Regina thought the whole thing was worth it.

"It has been so long since no one has asked me a question or given me an indirect suggestion that's meant to be a sly order," Robin said.

"Hmm?" She opened her eyes. Regina had been dozing off herself, lulled by the clop clop clop of the horses galloping along the forest trail. Her husband sounded alert now. It still sounded odd to call him that. Her husband.

While he was asleep, Regina decided not to mention how much Snow bothered her. How much she truly hated the child sometimes. She wouldn't mention Daniel, either. If her loyalty ever came into question again, it would be best for Robin to know less about her past.

She turned her head to look at him. Regina was far too tired to correct her posture. Mother was gone, Leopold was dead, and Robin didn't seem to give a damn. I could get used to this, she thought traitorously.

"I'm sorry to wake you," Robin said, placing a hand on hers.

"It's alright," Regina replied. "Isn't it nice to have some free will?"

"Gods, yes," Robin groaned. "The last time I was free to do what I pleased, I was spending time with my friends. Just laughing, getting drunk, and talking about nonsense."

"I know what you mean," Regina said. It had been almost a year since she'd had a moment to herself, without worrying about Rumple, Leopold, Snow, her parents, servants, or anyone else. "It will be nice to have some peace and quiet."

Robin grinned. "Hopefully, not too much."

…

Last night, she had wanted to stay up all night talking to Robin. She would have, too; sat across from him drinking wine all night in the Great Hall, had Lord Grey's messenger not sent for her. She wouldn't have minded having sex with Robin. Even though she didn't know much about him, any moment of her marriage to Leopold had been abhorrent. No matter the circumstances, she far preferred Robin's company.

Regina had loved kissing Robin last night, had enjoyed it with every bone in her body because no one had made her do it. Robin was kind, funny, respectful, and genuine. He made it clear that he was willing to wait until she was ready and he looked at her like she was beautiful.

It was dusk by the time they arrived at The Summer Palace. The sky blazed orange, blue bleeding in around the edges of the horizon.

There was no Great Hall here, no high ceilings or stained glass windows imprinted with the face of the kings who came before. The entranceway was flanked with two winding staircases, parallel to each other, and framing a beautiful chandelier. Snow had told her about it, crystal imported from somewhere exotic. A butler led them down a hallway lined with exquisitely painted landscapes to the dining room. Staff had been alerted that they were coming, so by the time they got there it was warm and bright and dinner was on the table. The dining room featured floor to ceiling windows that allowed them to look out into the garden and the forest beyond. In the distance, pine trees and mountains framed the sapphire sky. They joked about a few of their coronation guests; random dignitaries they were apparently supposed to know but whose names neither of them could remember. He told her that she looked beautiful in green. Fireflies flickered past as they ate.

"They're saying hello," Regina said.

"Maybe they're saying congratulations," Robin said, raising his glass. "A toast. To us."

Regina raised her glass. "To us. And to you, Your Majesty."

"Right back at you, Your Majesty." Robin laughed. "It still sounds odd."

"For me, too, sometimes. Especially the way Leopold was, I never felt like the queen of anything."

Robin frowned. "Well, you'd better get ready for me to ask for your opinion all the time. For example, right now." He walked around the table where another bottle of wine sat chilling and held it up to her. "Shall we go into the garden and drink some more?"

Regina stood, looking very serious. "You know," she said, her face breaking into a smile, "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea."

No one was there to tell them otherwise.

There was no moon tonight, so they stumbled through the grass looking for a place to sit. Robin held her hand, guiding her through topiaries and statues. She stepped over a tiger lily, her skirts brushing by the edge of an azalea bush. Past Robin's shoulder she could make out the pillowy tops of the hydrangeas, then the gladiolus blooming near the garden wall.

Tears welled up in her eyes even as she begged them not to. Daniel had been gone for so long, but she still remembered everything he taught her. Anytime she walked into a garden, she heard his voice in her head. She supposed it might always be that way. Robin plopped down on the ground, a birch tree surrounded by ivy at his back. While he worked on opening the bottle, Regina lifted a hand in the dark to dry the tears that had escaped. She settled down beside him as he took a generous gulp of the alcohol, then passed it to her. She took a sip, eager to dull the sudden onslaught of sadness.

"Were your parents happy when you became queen, Regina?"

That question definitely required more alcohol. She took another drink before answering. "My mother went missing before the coronation. She had arranged the marriage, though, so I'm sure she would have been over the moon. My father only ever wanted me to be happy."

"Were you?"

"No," she said. "I was miserable."

He threw his head back and drank. "I thought I would be," Robin said. "But I'm not."

"Why not?"

Robin leaned back on the palms of his hands, staring up into the sky. "I was never particularly excited to become the Duke of Sherwood. It was just what I expected. I was never very fond of responsibility but I'm realizing now that just means having a purpose, something to pursue. This kingdom is not in a great place, but I think I could change that. I think we could change that, and we can teach Snow what to do when the time comes. Maybe I won't always be as good as I aspire to be, but I think it's my duty to try."

Regina stared at him as he spoke. He pondered every word before he said it, his voice measured. His response was clear and concise. Robin would be a good king. If she left like she had planned on for so long, he would manage easily without her. He alone could improve the kingdom's finances and teach Snow how to rule. Her plan would still work, but, she thought with a hint of disdain, Rumple had been right. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay with Robin. Fear shot through her at the thought, as if the sorcerer could hear every thought in her head. He was a powerful man, strong enough to make her mother disappear, and there was no telling what he could do to her. He could do anything he wanted, to her or to Robin. Magic always comes with a price, she thought. Panic rose like a tidal wave as she wondered what she would have to pay. Too often these days, Regina felt as though she might drown.

With the fear, she felt the now familiar buzz of magic at her fingertips. She hadn't intended for that, but sometimes she couldn't help it. Rumple had taught her how to use magic, how to manipulate energy, how to draw power, but controlling it was another matter entirely. Regina felt wild, her heart pounding in her ears, her power simmering just underneath the surface. As Robin closed his eyes and took another sip of wine, she glanced down at her hands. Even in the darkness, she could see them shaking. She tried to take deep breaths, anything to settle the storm inside of her, to calm the animal poised to strike. Her magic made her dangerous and a part of Regina loved that, but she couldn't risk hurting Robin, or even worse, letting him learn the truth.

"Regina? Are you alright?" She felt Robin's fingertips on her wrist.

"Of course," she lied, "I'm just thinking."

From the look in Robin's eyes, she knew he didn't believe her. "You can talk to me, Regina. Tell me what's on your mind."

If only she could cast a spell, warp the stars, hex a squirrel, anything to get rid of the energy mounting inside of her. She needed a distraction, just a moment to expel the magic, or Regina knew her powers would be exposed. Robin liked her because he believed her to be innocent. If Robin ever learned what she really was, he would have her beheaded. Regina imagined the disgust she would see in his eyes, of how ashamed he would be of himself: The king with a witch for a bride.

The panic was still there, growing harder to ignore. Regina could see the magic leaking from her fingers now, wispy swirls of purple bleeding into the grass. She shifted her legs so that her skirt shielded her hands. She had tried to stifle her magic before and the results had been disastrous thus far. There had been a close call about two months ago, when Snow had made Regina so angry that even when she tried to relax, her magic lept from her body, setting her curtains aflame. Thankfully, she had known enough magic at that point to remove the mess before anyone noticed. Still, though, the faint trace of scorch marks near her window remained.

Regina knew that, whatever happened next, she would not be in control.

Then there was Robin's voice again, more worried than before. "Do you want to go inside, Regina?"

She looked into his eyes then. She could see the bright blue of Robin's irises even as midnight settled around them. He was so close.

"I want-I just need-," she stuttered, before pushing onto his lap, her knees falling on either side of his hips as her lips landed firmly on his.

Robin stiffened for a moment before relaxing against her, which Regina was grateful for. He moaned, his eyes falling shut, and behind his head, Regina dug her fingernails into the bark of the tree. Even as his lips began moving against hers, Regina kept her eyes open, watching her magic spill from her fingertips, the energy of it weaving through the creeping plant cushioning Robin's back. Her magic traveled up the vines, glints of purple poking through green as white flowers started to bloom along the ivy. Immediately, she felt the tension in her body release.

As Regina began to relax, she felt Robin's hand trail up her back. Even through all her layers of clothing, his touch was searing. Robin's fingers tightened on her waist, her thighs sinking further until her core was pressed tightly against his hips. With her magic spent, she slid her hands away from the tree. One came to rest in Robin's hair, the other against his neck. She could feel his pulse thumping against her palm.

She had wanted a distraction, anything to ease her anxiety, and she didn't mean to tease him, but gods, this felt good. He was hardening beneath her, every movement pressing him against her deliciously. His tongue brushed against her bottom lip and she opened her mouth willingly, allowing him to devour more of her. There was a familiar ache settling in low in her stomach now, a torrent of desire that would not be ignored. Robin's mouth broke away from hers, his lips pressing against her neck, his tongue sampling her skin as he went. He settled between her breasts, where he began to suck at the soft flesh he found there.

Regina felt molten, her fear forgotten, driven out by Robin's touch. She leaned back and enjoyed the feeling. Her dress was tight, but Robin managed to dip his tongue below her neckline until the tip of it brushed her nipple. She gasped, grinding down onto his hardened length over and over again. The combination made her whine and she felt Robin chuckle against her chest in response.

She was overcome. It was the best she had felt in months.

"Oh, Regina," she heard her husband murmur against her skin. "What do you want, my darling? I will do whatever you like. You only need to ask."

The sound of his voice sobered Regina. She had only meant for a momentary diversion to hide her magic. Never had a few kisses gotten her so unruly. Even now, she could feel the wetness pooling between her legs. She was thankful for the night sky; it hid the blush creeping up her cheeks.

He was staring up at her with his lips swollen and his eyes blown wide with lust. He gently cupped her face in with one hand, the other reaching up to tangle in her raven hair. Robin pulled her face towards his and kissed her again. He was gentle, but she knew what he wanted and she knew what it would cost her. What it would cost them both. The moment Rumple found out how attached to her new husband she really was, Robin would be as good as dead. Regina didn't know what the Dark One's end game was, but she knew she wouldn't be free of his clutches until his plans came to fruition.

She let Robin kiss her for another minute, but when she felt his hand sneaking under her dress, finally landing on the bare skin of her thigh, Regina forced herself to pull out of his embrace. She stumbled off of his lap, in a completely undignified way that would have made her mother scowl.

Robin reached out his hand to her, his gaze wanton and dream-like. Regina glazed up, just for a moment, to see that Robin was staring at her like he wanted to crawl into bed with her. He whispered her name, smiling softly even as she stood. Then, when she wouldn't look at him, he said it again.

"Regina?"

"I must retire for the evening, My King," She began, her throat dry from how hard she had been breathing. She hoped that her sudden formality would distract him from the traces of desire in her voice. "Please, forgive me. Goodnight."

Without another word, she turned and went inside. She didn't have to look back to know that he was hurt and confused. With every step, she grew angrier at herself for making him feel that way, for giving him false hope. Regina found a footman in the dining room and promptly demanded to be shown to her chambers, where she locked the door and thought only of Robin's lips until the morning birds began to sing their sweet song.

. . .

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