No Regrets, Chapter 10

Hard Times Are Over, For A While

Snow called the next morning.

"Regina, we'd like to have a wedding reception for Robin and you."

Regina sighed. That meant it was not only already planned, but people had been invited, and were likely already on their way there. "Where?" She didn't even feel like arguing the point. Snow had decided and it was going to happen. Arguing would be useless.

"The city hall building, we wanted to make sure it was big enough for everyone to drop in. It's informal, Regina, don't worry. The whole town's invited, starting at 1 PM." Snow replied with cheer, now that Regina had agreed.

There were some people she'd just as soon not see, but the fact that they had been invited actually made it less likely they'd show, well except for Gold. She knew he'd make an appearance. But for once, that would work in their favor. Because they had something he would want.

Robin kissed her on the shoulder. "So where are we going now, and do I need to be armed?" he smirked.

"I hope not, although it might be a good idea to bring it along, considering. Snow has organized a wedding reception for us. City Hall building, 1 PM."

"I'll get the kids up."

"I'll start breakfast"

"Sure you want to?" Robin was guessing she would probably start battling morning sickness soon.

"We'll go simple today, nothing with too strong a smell." Regina knew what he was alluding to. So far it hadn't started but it was likely just a matter of time.

When they arrived at city hall Regina shook her head at the packed parking lot. She was still getting used to people liking her. Maybe it was Robin they were turning out for, who wouldn't like him?

"It's for you Regina" Robin stroked the back of her hand on the steering wheel.

"Is that your magic, Robin, you can read my mind?"

He laughed. "No. or I should say, I don't know, but right now, no. It's the look on your face. I know you quite well. I know what that look means."

Regina blanched. "Oh god, what if they all know about what was on the pages now… I don't know if I can take the pitying looks from most the town."

"It'll be fine, my love."

"Mom, Robin's right, everyone knows how much you've changed and how much you sacrificed to make things right. Mom, you're a hero, you're proof that even if you fall, you can come back. "

"Thanks to all of you." Regina looked back as she waited for David to move his truck. He had just motioned to indicating he was going to move his truck so she could park in that spot.

Regina stepped out of the SUV. She missed driving the Mercedes, but with five people in this family already, with a sixth on her way sacrifices had to be made when she drove the whole family places. Next on the agenda was teaching Robin how to drive this behemoth…. He'd need to in about 6 months…

They walked into the city hall to see the whole room was decorated with entwined forest green and apple red satin ribbons and the table with the wedding cake had apple blossoms and pine trees twigs festooning it. Henry had volunteered to carry Hope in and Roland was excitedly following them.

Regina murmured to Robin, as they passed through the crowd "I hope to hell there's no decoration with a golden arrow piercing an apple…"

Robin stopped short, and then began to laugh so hard tears came to his eyes. Then he whispered in her ear "I believe I know what jewelry I will commission for our first anniversary..."

"Robin." Regina blushed "I won't be able to wear it anywhere"

"Who said I'd want you to wear it anywhere out, or with anything…"

"Stop Robin, not here, in front of everyone" Regina fidgeted, aroused by the imagery his words suggested.

He chuckled suggestively but then started walking toward the front of the room again.

Regina playfully got Robin back for his teasing by doing an enthusiastic version of the cake feeding smash to Robin. He grinned through his cake smeared face. Regina worried she had gone too far. But Robin was very gallant in response, breaking off a tiny piece and just touching her lips with it. Then she realized he was teasing her because she'd have to suggestively open her mouth and let him place it on her tongue. She gave him a look that made him smirk and opened her mouth, deciding two could play at that game. She closed her mouth and sucked on his fingers as he withdrew them. Then playfully bit them. Robin raised his eyebrows, but kept the cocky smirk on his face.

Knowing laughter filled the room. Regina sincerely hoped that Henry didn't understand the symbolic act of the cake feeding yet. She didn't want to know if he did, that would be even more mortifying. She carefully didn't look his direction just in case.

The cake was then cut for everyone to enjoy. Regina acknowledged the choice of wedding cake toppers had been inventive and appropriate- a tiny plastic pinecone next to a tiny plastic red apple. Thankfully, it was not one of those insipid couples toppers or what she feared with an apple and an arrow. A few people had brought gifts, but she was glad that Snow had apparently thoughtfully had told everyone that they preferred any guests give donations to charity instead. Regina was glad because had no need for any new small household appliances and could easily buy them if she did. She and Robin decided to open the gifts they did get after they got home. Granny and her staff then brought in the catered food and Robin and Regina joined the guests.

While Regina was talking with Snow and Emma, Robin circulated the room, carrying the baby. Robin felt it was part of his role, as her partner, to get the town even more firmly behind Regina. He was headed back to Regina, when a woman in her mid twenties with light brown wavy shoulder length hair approached him. Two young school aged children held each of her hands. The woman had a smile on her face but a very purposeful look in her eyes. Robin stopped and let her draw near. She looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't place her.

"Robin, I'm your sister Rowena." She blurted out.

Robin was stunned. His sister, in Storybrooke all this time and they'd never met before today.

"When you showed up here, while the Wicked Witch was terrorizing us, I thought about approaching you, but things were so dangerous around you. Then you were gone from town with that woman I heard was your wife. Then you came back and we heard it had actually been the Wicked Witch who'd tricked you. Then things became really dangerous in town again for quite a while. And then I thought you were gone forever and I never even said hello to you-"

Robin watched his sister's composure slip and he drew her into a hug with his free arm. "It's okay, I'm here now. I'm so glad we finally met again, tell me about your life here, and introduce me to my niece and nephew. This is my daughter Hope Robyn Locksley-Mills and my son Roland is over there" Robin nodded toward the front of the room where Roland was talking to Henry.

Rowena took a deep, steadying breath. "This is my son Matthew, he's seven and this is Roberta, she's five."

"Hello, I'm your uncle Robin."

"Yeah, mom says you were Robin Hood. She took us to your funeral; we stayed in the back because mom was scared of the Wicked Witch. She thought she was tricking everyone again. So how'd you come back? "Matthew asked.

"Magic, good magic. My wife and I are soulmates, we helped end a curse and I was brought back."

"There's good magic?" Little Roberta looked up at Robin. doubtfully.

"Yes, there is. Did you hear about how my wife saved the town with good magic several times?" The children nodded.

"And there's the fairies too. Berta, I told you there was good magic!" Matthew looked annoyed.

Robin thought that the fairies might not be the best example of good magic, but at least it helped for the moment.

"There's that Emma Swan woman too, isn't she supposed to be some kind of savior or something like that?" Rowena looked at Robin

"Yeah, something like that." Robin, personally thought this savior business put undue stress on both Regina and the other savior in this town, Emma. The fairies were supposed to be light magic users but few stepped up to the plate when something threatened the town. Although the blue fairy had offered some aide from time to time, but only when asked first, and considering what part she'd played in making Regina's life even worse than it had been…he trusted her about as much as he trusted Gold. Tinkerbelle had vowed to help out more now that she had more training. Regina's friend Maleficent had shown she could be counted on, and having as an ally a person that could transform into a fire breathing dragon was a definite plus…

Regina walked up then. "Ms. Kingfort, I didn't know you knew my husband."

"Hello Madame Mayor. It's actually Locksley now. I went back to my maiden name once the divorce was final. Robin's my big brother; my original name was Rowena of Locksley. I married Lord Adric of Coningsfort. We came over with the first curse…"

"I'm sorry about that."

Rowena shrugged. "Actually my life has been much better here, even under the curse. I wasn't stuck in the same house with my husband day in and day out…."

"Ms. King- err Ms. Locksley is the art teacher for Storybrooke Elementary. " Regina looked at Robin. "Henry said you were a good teacher-" she looked back at Rowena.

"Rowena, we're sisters in law now." Rowena smiled at Regina

"Please call me Regina then." Regina smiled back

Rowena continued "Yes, I was the art teacher; Matthew and Roberta were in day care while I taught. My name was Rhiannon Kingsfort and my do nothing husband became Stan Kingsfort. He still goes by Stan."

"Daddy drinks and smells bad" Roberta said solemnly. "He comes over and never talks to me, but he makes Matt go fishing with him every Saturday."

Matthew's face looked disgusted. "He just goes there and drinks, never catches a fish and he makes me throw back any that I catch. It's boring!"

Rowena sighed. "I know it is honey, but the divorce papers say he's allowed to see you…"

"After he's been drinking?" Regina looked angry, surely some law was being violated that could be enforced...

Rowena sighed. "He shows up sober and never drinks enough beer to be drunk, but it's not any fun for Matt and he completely ignores Roberta."

"Perhaps the three of you could come over to the mansion some days after school." Regina suggested. If nothing could be done about the situation with Stan's behavior, perhaps spending time around other children would help make their lives a bit happier.

"Please do, and you can meet my son Roland, he just turned 6 and will be in first grade in the fall. So you may be seeing him soon in school. Did you name Matthew for our brother?"

"Yes, and Roberta is in your honor. I never forgot you Robin. I heard stories about this Robin Hood that apparently really was you. Mother was ashamed that you'd become a notorious thief, but I remembered my long lost big brother. And our brother Matthew, he died just three years before I was born. I think she was mother's favorite. She talked about him much more than she did you, even when I was little."

"He was almost two when he caught the summer fever and died. Our other brother, Timothy, was father's favorite, probably because he barely saw him. He died just shy of his first birthday. He was three years younger than me. Father was sure he'd have been everything I wasn't, the perfect son…" Robin said with a hint of bitterness.

"I doubt it. You are the perfect brother. Timothy probably would have despised father too, if he'd lived. Mother was the only one who liked father, despite what he did to her."

"You remember that? You were only five-"

"I saw. I told mother, when she came for a visit, when I was fostering with Lord Cedric, that if the man she matched me with did what father did to her, that I'd kill him just like you did father."

"You knew? I heard they spread the story father had fallen down the stairs at night and no one found him until morning."

"That was the official story, but I was hiding behind the door, I saw your fight with father and heard why. When mother sent you away I never forgave her."

Henry came up then with Roland. "Hey, Ms. Kingfort."

Roland looked curiously at the strangers, then at his father.

"Roland, this is my sister Rowena, she's your aunt, and these are her children Matthew and Roberta, your cousins."

"Hi" the children chorused to each other, but eyed each other shyly and held back.

Rowena smiled down at Roland then looked up at Henry "My goodness Henry, you've gotten so tall! It's Locksley now, though, I just went back to my maiden name. "

"Locksley!"

Robin laughed at Henry's wide eyed shock. "Henry, your former art teacher is my sister Rowena of Locksley."

"Wait, Rowena, and your ex-husband, was he Athelstane? "

"No, but he had a brother who died young with that name, why?"

"Um did you foster out with a Cedric of Ivanhoe?"

"Yes, I did, why?"

"Ms. Locksley, I think you were from the real version of the Ivanhoe story. It's not in my storybook but I know there are others, there was one in the underworld, and there were all those blank books in the Apprentice's house….'

"Ivanhoe, wasn't Robin in that too?" Regina looked at Henry.

"In The Land Without Magic's version of the story, yeah."

"Afraid I never met any Ivanhoe, Henry."

"Ivanhoe?" Emma said questioning as she joined them. "I saw a movie on TV once with that name."

"It's a story, mom."

"Another one?" Never mind. I shouldn't even question that in this town... so whose story is it?"

"Mine." Rowena replied. "At least Henry thinks it might be."

"You're a teacher at Henry's school, right?"

"Yes, but I'm also Robin's younger sister."

"Oh, the sister he mentioned to Regina. But what does that have to do with this Ivanhoe story?"

"That reminds me, Henry, could Robin and I see our pages?"

"Sure, mom, they're at home."

"My sister's name is Rowena and she fostered with Lord Cedric of Ivanhoe"

"But weren't you married to Stan" Emma stopped herself from saying "Drunk Stan", one of the guys who frequently ended up in Storybrooke's "drunk tank" along with Keith, the former Sheriff of Nottingham. Emma was vaguely recalling the plot of the movie and the Rowena character was with the son of that Cedric, something of Ivanhoe...

"Stan was Lord Adric in the Enchanted Forest."

"Henry thinks Rowena is the Rowena from the Ivanhoe story."

Robin noticed that Roland and his niece and nephew weren't that interested in the grownups conversation and were fidgeting. This looked to be turning into a long and serious conversation. He looked at Regina, who nodded; she'd noticed the restless kids too. Best to head this off before the whining started. She poofed one of Henry's old toys he'd just given to Roland, a Nerf ball, and handed it to Roland.

"Thanks Mama Gina!" He tossed the ball to his cousin Matt who caught it and threw it back, and then Roland threw it to Roberta, who ran off with it with shrieking giggles. The boys gave chase around the city hall meeting room.

"Luckily the crowd's thinned out a bit." Robin smirked.

"Rowena, did you know Cedric's son?" Henry asked.

"Wilfred? In passing. He seemed nice enough. I liked him better than Adric. But he was always off on some adventure or mission of something like that. Lord Cedric wasn't happy about how often he was away; he wasn't doing anything to learn how to succeed his father. Finally he just disappeared. Lord Cedric and mother both thought a match between Adric of Coningsfort and I would help stabilize the area. So we got married. It wasn't a love match in anyway but before Adric began to love drinks more than he did me, it wasn't bad, and I did get the two lights of my life, Matthew and Roberta out of it."

"What if Wilfred is your true love?" Henry asked "What if someone messed with your story like they did my Mom's?"

Regina and Robin looked at each other, "Isaac." they said with disgust.

"Who is Isaac and what does he have to do with my story?"

"Isaac is a former author who deliberately altered several people's stories, including Robin's and mine."

"Maybe they aren't, kid. Maybe they were just friends." Emma cautioned.

The others nodded.

"Henry, why don't you investigate, try to find Rowena's story?

"Where?"

"The books at the Apprentices house."

"But they're blank."

"Oh the book must not have passed this along, on Avalon I found out that only the author can see the text in those books."

"Really?" Henry looked enthusiastic.

"Do you think you could tell if Isaac altered something?" Emma questioned.

"Yeah, it feels wrong when you're the author. Sometimes you can see how it was supposed to be."

"So what happens if he was supposed to be my true love? What if he's married and has a family with someone else? I did."

"Remember Henry, these are real people's lives." Regina gave him a serious look.

"I know. But what if he's in danger? What if-"

"If he's in danger then we help him." Emma said.

"But you need to find him first, see what happened to him. And even if we go and save him, he's not necessarily going to drop everything and come here, just on our word."

"Okay." Henry was annoyed that his moms were tag teaming lecturing him, he wasn't a kid.

Robin could see Henry had reached his limit. "When we're done here, we'll drive you to the Apprentice's house, so you can get started looking, if you like."

"Yeah, thanks." Henry spotted Violet smiling at him, waiting nearby. He looked at Robin "Um, what time, I'm going to talk to my friends now."

Robin looked at Regina, "A few minutes, I'll send a text to you. Stay nearby." Regina replied.

Henry went over to Violet and they ran off laughing together.

Regina sighed. "Still not used to that."

"The mood swings or his having a girlfriend" Rowena smiled at Regina

"Both." Regina smiled lopsidedly.

"Now that the crisis is over, think I'll take off." Emma said. "If the kid finds anything tell me."

"We will."

"Think the kids and I should head home too. Roberta still takes an afternoon nap and it's around that time."

"Here's Robin and my numbers, and our home number. Give us a call this evening and we'll work out times we can get together."

"Here's mine, my office number at school too. If Henry finds out anything important about Wilfred I want to know. I hope he didn't disappear because something awful happened to him. Cedric never had much faith in him, but he was a good person under the adventure lust. If that Isaac person sent him somewhere and something terrible happened...I want to know."

"We'll tell you."

"Looks like almost everyone is leaving that isn't the Charmings or us."

"You want to stay to help them take down all this or leave it to them?"

"Tempted to leave, but I guess we'll stay and help."

"Before you start playing Civil Servant, Regina, I hear you found something that could help me free Belle?"

They turned around to see Gold standing there.

"You missed the party." Regina replied noncommittally, she wasn't quite ready to tip her hand just yet, even he'd apparently heard something from someone about what Robin found.

Gold shrugged "parties aren't appealing to me. Although, allow me to congratulate you. You succeeded even more than I expected. And I heard rumors that there may even be a child on the way. You broke all your curses, didn't you?"

"Robin and I did together." Regina was surprised at how soft her tone was, but for the first time, in a long time, she'd detected a hint of bitterness in his barbed tone.

"We did find something that we hope will help you free Belle." Robin replied, his tone gentle.

"So what do you want in exchange?" Gold said neutrally.

"Only that you stop targeting my family or me."

Your family's getting quite large now, Regina. I know you actually mean this whole town, Storybrooke."

"I do. I don't mean you can't do business here, but no more threats. I know I can't ask you to turn your power to protect the town rather than plotting how to control if not harm someone in this town, but I'm asking if you might actually try just not doing the later."

He looked thoughtful. "If this spell you found actually frees Belle, then you might just be surprised what I'm capable of dearie." He sneered. If this spell worked he would take Belle away from this relatively meaningless town and woo her back with trips to anywhere she wanted. There was hidden magic in this misnamed Land Without Magic. He'd found a few spells that would help him draw on those magics. While Regina and the other magic users here stayed focused on this town he would be finding ways to take control of all that untapped magic outside of Storybrooke.

Regina and Robin exchanged a look. This was probably the best they could get out of Gold as far as a promise. Regina pulled a piece of paper from her jacket pocket and handed it to him.

They watched him read the spell. "Simple but it needs a light magic user. That's not a spell I can access as the Dark One. Clever, so which of you is going to help me?"

"Emma." She's already agreed if you agreed to the condition we set."

"Fine. Have her met me in my store in an hour." Gold said faintly annoyed. He had no doubt Ms. Swan would have some conditions of her own, and likely attempt to give him some tiresome self-righteous spiel.

He left and Robin breathed out a loud sigh of relief. At least it had gone as well as could be expected.

"Well, let's join the cleanup crew." Regina walked toward the Charmings, Rebecka, Granny and a few of the dwarves who were pulling down the decorations.

"They'll likely just shoo us away, since this was in our honor."

Regina shrugged. She was slightly amused to observe that Roland had charmed Mulan into showing him a rather harmless looking example of how to fight with a staff- using what looked like swimming noodles- likely filched from the Storybrooke swimming pool next door.

Regina and Robin joined in with the cleanup, after Robin set the baby in her carrier next to Neal in his, on the table that had held the wedding cake. Snow was preoccupied with telling others where they could take the various decorations and talking to Granny about the next Storybrooke event she had put herself in charge of. She didn't notice Robin and Regina helping out for several minutes. David noticed but just winked at them.

Regina smirked at Snow when she finally noticed who was helping out on the cleanup. By that time the cleanup was almost done. Snow gave Regina the look. Regina laughed then. Then Snow shook her head and joined in with the laugh.

"Alright enough helping you too. I saved some of the decorations for your memory box."

"Memory box?" Regina looked confused.

"Regina, it's something people do here when they get married. They have a memory box, keepsakes from the reception- decorations, photographs, the cake topper, that sort of thing."

"I never thought I'd get married so I never paid attention to that sort of thing." Regina shrugged.

"Well, you're in luck, just in case; I bought you a memory box as a wedding present. I know you kept not only the pendants Mout made, but your robes, head garlands and handfast tie. The robes are too big for the box but you can keep the head garlands and the tie in there and things from here too. Snow pulled out a wooden box that had been painted white on the outside. The box was 12x12 and about 5inches high. "I bought you the biggest one since you had two weddings and then a reception here." When she opened the latch and lifted the lid, cedar wood scent wafted out. Inside the black velvet lined box were long strips of the intertwined ribbon, the cake topper, and one small bunch of the pine and apple blossom decoration.

"It's a wonderful idea." Robin smiled "Thank you."

Regina nodded; suddenly feeling overwhelmed again by this little piece of happiness she'd had this day.

Robin kissed her gently. "Let's go home."