Butterflies! It's day two, one quick note! For all of you that have faved/reviewed/followed - THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! A big thanks to all of you that have already read these chapters & reviewed anyway! You're brilliant! Second, thank you for all of the love & shoutouts about this fic on Twitter & Tumblr! Someone suggested that I create a tag for this story so that tweets about it can all go to one spot - #DimplesQueen works fine by me!

Without further ado, here's chapter 2! MWAH!

Ruffles

Chapter 2

"Roland, how many times must I tell you that her name is not 'Gina, it's Regina, but we must call her 'Her Majesty'"?

"But she said I could call her 'Gina!" The boy whined.

His father sighed. Ever since the little boy had returned home one night from his daily explorations of the castle he had been nonstop talking about the Queen. 'Gina this and 'Gina that. Robin would have been more inclined to listen to his sons infatuations if he hadn't have received an earful from the woman earlier that day.

She was a conundrum. For starters he knew that she hadn't always been of royal blood. She had married in to the royal family, however she carried herself as every bit the regal Queen that she was. She was smart and tenacious. Every time they had a council meeting regarding war strategies she was there on the front lines coming up with brilliant plans when all of the other men had exhausted theirs. She really was brilliant and she had earned the respect of many. But she had also earned her title of "Evil" somehow? Robin had never been on much of the receiving end of her wrath, thank God, when she had been in 'all of her evil glory' as some of his men would put it. He had come to the Enchanted Forest at the tale end of her reign and had yet to truly see what had earned her such a name. He knew the story, as most anyone did. The hatred that ran between her and Snow White and Prince Charming. But there was none of that now. Sure they had their bad days, as she seemed to have with everyone. But them a bit more than most. And himself.

He seemed to find that more and more it was he who took on the brunt of her harsh tongue.

So that was why he was a little less than thrilled when his boy couldn't stop talking about the woman who had been causing him to have head aches as of late.

"Well I still say we call her her Majesty until I hear otherwise," Robin said with a sense of finality. He internally shuddered at the thought of being on the receiving end of her wrath if his boy started to call her by a name she did not like.

"Fine," Roland said dejected.

The duo made their way around the long hallway they had been walking down.

"Roland!" Came the large booming voice of the contradictorily named Little John.

"John!"

Robin watched as his boy barreled towards the large bear of a man with his arms outstretched. Little John caught him, engulfing him in a loving embrace, picking him up and twirling the boy round making him shriek in laughter. Robin smiled.

"Little John."

"Aye," The man said, running his hands through Roland's hair after he set him down. "So I hear you needed to talk to me?"

"Yes," Robin managed to say but the insistent pulling on his pant leg made him pause.

"Papa?!"

"Roland?" Looking down, seeing the brown eyes of his boy open wide, "What is it boy?"

"Can I go play over there?" The boy said, pointing one of his miniature fingers towards the indent between the wall and the stairs.

"Yes, so long as I can still see you!" Robin yelled after the boy who had already took off running when he heard the affirmative.

Robin heard his friends amused laugh and turned back, "Kids." he said with a shrug.

"Aye, I remember when mine were that age. Couldn't keep them still for one minute. It wasn't until they found the little girls down the street. Then we had to stop them from beating each other up over them!"

"Well funny you mention girls," Robin began. "I'm experiencing the same problem."

Little Johns overly bush eyebrows shot up, making him look alarmingly like a overgrown teddy bear.

"Really? Robin Hood having girl problems? Never thought I'd live to see the day! Tell me, whose the lucky girl that's giving you such bad head aches?"

"What? No!" Robin said, "No it's like that."

"Oh yes it is Robin, I can see it in the lines above your brow! Someone's been keeping you up into the wee hours of the night. You know, it's no good for Roland to be walking in on these things, Did ya need a baby sitter? Because I hear-"

"What? No John! It's not me, it's Roland!"

The very tall Little John paused his talking and looked down to eye his leader, "Roland?"

Robin ran a hand over his face, releasing a breath. This was harder than he thought.

"Yes, Roland. And it's not just any girl. It's her Majesty herself."

"The Queen?"

"Aye John, the Queen. He won't stop talking about her, like she walks on water. It's always 'Gina this, 'Gina that, daddy look at what 'Gina taught me," he said while making a weird hand motion like the ones that his son had been doing lately, "It used to be once in a while after he saw her pass by, but now it's every day John. Heck, I can't get him to say a full sentence without throwing the Queen in there somewhere!"

John stared hard at his friend and long time leader without saying a word for a couple of moments, making Robin almost cringe under the gaze. Then, when he had had his fill, or his eyes couldn't concentrate any longer, he released a long sigh, taking in another big breath before speaking.

"Well, never say we didn't teach him to have good taste."

Robin was stunned. "What?"

"Seems like your boy has developed a liking for the Queen. Can't say I blame him, she is a pretty woman to look at. But be wary Robin, what lies beyond a pretty face, they didn't call her evil for nothing. I reckon it's just a volcano waiting to explode, and if we aren't watching we will all be swept up as ashes."

Robin stared at his closets friend. He had know Little John since he had actually fit his name. When they were lads running around, causing a ruckus in Sherwood. He had always been a loyal friend and a wise companion. Robin had taken his word on many occasions and it had rarely steered him wrong. John was a man of few words but wise ones. But regardless of their past, something about them this time didn't feel right.

In contradiction even to himself, Robin spoke surprising him and Little John as he went.

"I know I should be as worried as I am, and rightfully so. But I can't stop myself from wondering if maybe this is a good thing. Maybe Roland's infatuation with the Queen could help gain us some good standing with her Grace. John, your the one whose always said that Roland could charm his way into anyone's heart right?"

"Oh-Aye!" John said, a little taken aback at the use of his own words against him.

"And I know for a fact that she took a liking to him after the first time they met. She saved him from the flying monkeys, remember? Yes, I think this might actually be a good thing," Robin said, convinced, finishing off the speech that he had entirely left John out of, "Now if only he would stop making up his stories about his many visits with the Queen."

"Making up stories?"

"Aye, he comes back daily with a new story of how him and her Majesty have had tea, or read a story book or done magic, apparently next she wants to take him horseback riding but she said that he had to ask my permission first," he said with a laugh. His sons imagination was really quite large. When his friend didn't join him in his laughter however he stopped.

"John? What is it?"

"Uh- not to disturb you Robin but uh-I don't think he was making it up."

Robin blinked, confused. When the man didn't continue but merely pointed Robin walked towards him to see what he saw.

Down the hallway, by the staircase that Roland had ran to earlier, came little flashes of light.

They were reds and blues and greens, all bouncing off the wall like someone had released a firecracker within the castle.

He heard the unmistakable sound of his sons laughter and another sparkle of lights went off. Robin began to move towards the commotion before he felt the grip of his friend behind him.

Robin turned, seeing his friend holding up one large finger to his mouth ass a signal to be quite.

"I know John," Robin said in a hushed whisper.

"Just wanted to remind you, you always were a lousy sneak."

Robin was about to retort when he heard another laugh from down the hall that drew his attention back. He hurried to the sound and paused, listening.

He could make out the shuffle of his sons feet and the sound of his giggles, but what he wasn't sure of was the second voice.

It was deep and velvety. Definitely not anything in the range of sounds that his son nor men could make. This person was new, and most definitely a woman.

Looking at John, they both nodded and peered around the corner.

There, a few steps down the hall was Roland, bouncing and giggling with glee watching as the lights bounced off the walls. But behind him, sat on the steps of the stair case was none other than her Majesty herself. She had her hands out, palms facing upwards, as if she was controlling the light beams that were currently making his son laugh with joy.

But what shocked Robin most of all, was the large smile that was plastered on her face. he had never seen her smile genuinely before and it was beautiful.

Roland was chasing what looked like a yellow butterfly made of sunlight until it disappeared into the air. He turned around, running back to the Queen, begging for another.

When she held out her hands to the boy they were closed. She was speaking to him, giving him directions of sorts, because he shot out his hands to cover hers. When she opened her palms, on the inside sat a small glowing blue butterfly. It looked like it's wings had been carved from stardust. His boy giggled as the small creature flapped its glimmering wings and began to take flight. He chased after it again and her Majesty let out a laugh. Robin thought it sounded like bells. It was beautiful, and crisp, like honey over bread. Bright and cheerful like dandelions in summer days that blossomed upon the quiet fields.

He loved it.

It was only then that he felt Little John behind him, shift quietly, that he remembered they were hiding.

"Well I'll be damned." John said, "Looks like he wasn't making it up after all."

"No, I guess he wasn't." Robin spoke.

The little blue butterfly vanished, much like the first, moments later and Roland again returned to the Queen. This time however she had nothing in her palms. She ran a hand through his curly hair with a smile and spoke.

"Roland, have you asked you father about riding lessons with me?"

The boy nodded intensely, causing his curls to bounce.

The Queen chuckled, "And?"

His demeanor suddenly changed from the jovial spirit it was before to a sad melancholy state, that made Robin frown, "Papa said that I needed to stop making up stories, that you didn't ask me to go, that I have to call you Majesty."

The Queen's face contorted, "But I told you you could call me Regina."

"But Daddy said I can't!" Roland whined.

Instantly Robin wanted to turn around the corner and comfort his son, but he caught himself at the last moment. However, it was to late. His foot had slipped on the tilted floors, causing the scuff to echo down the hall. Little John put one of his overly large hands to his head and Robin held his breath.

"Well," he heard the Queen say, he voice regaining some of its low, smoky qualities. "Then why don't we ask him together, since he is right around the corner."

Robin closed his eyes. John whispered, "Nicely done."

Robin wanted to whack him, but couldn't as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

He stood up from him crouched position just as her Majesty and his son rounded the corner themselves.

"Milady," he began.

"Save it thief. We are here because Roland has a question for you."

Out from behind the grand gown that she wore came his little son. His eyes were bright and beaming when he spoke.

"Papa! Can I go riding with 'Gina?"

"Well-" Robin began, looking to his friend behind him for help, but John chose to remain silent looking like he would rather blend into the wall than speak in her Majesty's presence. "I suppose that would be alright. If it is alright with her Majesty?"

His boy jumped, clapping and the Queen nodded. Robin hurriedly added, "But on one condition"

All eyes turned towards him. Roland and Johns comically opening up wide and the Queen's merely narrowing.

"And what is that thief?" She spoke in an almost threateningly low tone.

He swallowed, clearing his throat before he continued. "That I come along as well... to supervise."

There was a moment of silence so thick, Robin thought he would be able to cut it with a butter knife and spread it on toast.

But after it passed, the Queen simply nodded, "We have a deal."

Roland clapped again, "Thank you Majesty!"

The Queen turned round facing the boy.

"What was it I told you to call me?"

Roland looked back and forth from his father to the Queen before him. When Robin realized his dilemma he spoke, "It's alright boy."

"Thank you 'Gina!" Roland yelled casting himself at her and hugging what must have been her legs.

Robin blushed at his sons behavior, instantly wondering how much the Queen actually cared for the boy, but she merely smiled, crouching down to him.

"I will see you first thing on Sunday morning Roland, meet me out at the stables past the orchards."

His boy nodded, stepping back as she rose to stand. Casting her eyes towards the thief once more, she spoke this time without any warmth to her voice, directed at him.

"Don't be late."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Robin said.

She looked at him for a long moment, her brown eyes assessing what he had said, before she turned and began to saunter back down the hall. When she reached the stairs she was engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke and proceeded to vanish from sight.

"Well," came the voice of Little John, who Robin had entirely forgotten had been standing there the whole time. "Looks like someone needs to brush up on his riding skills."

"Huh?" Robin questioned.

"If one is going to have a date with the Queen, one must know how to accurately perform."

Robin looked at the man who had a grand smirk on his face, he was about to respond when his son cut him off.

"My Daddy's dating 'Gina?!"

"What!? No boy!" Robin spoke in alarm. That was the last thing he needed his son and his overactive imagination thinking.

"But John said-"

"John was only joking Roland." Robin countered. He hit his snickering friend in the arm, causing him to back up in pain. He saw his sons face fall slightly, but then it picked up again when he began to sing and skip back down the hall towards their rooms.

"I'm going riding with 'Gina! Were going to ride the horseys!" He sang merrily.

Robin smiled watching the joy that radiated from his boy. "Well it looks like Roland really has made a friend with the Queen." he said.

"Aye. And you might just benefit from that friendship," John added.

Robin was about to smack the man again but he flinched away before his arm could shoot out. They walked down the hallway behind his son.

"Oi- Roland, come on let's go get some lunch," Robin yelled.

His boy nodded, barreling forwards towards the dining halls.

Robin smiled. This week had just become more interesting than the entirety of his last year. And it looked like Sunday morning was going to be an interesting day.

thank you for reading! a few shoutouts:

iswearonhookandswan : ha! your comment made me laugh out loud! (I felt the same way!) Thank you for reading! MWAH!

RoseRed: Hello my love! We must share the same level of excitement then because I squealed too! haha!new chapters coming soon! MWAH!

hevelinchris: oh I'm so excited for you to read more then! roland is just too cute(: MWAH!

Thornspike: no no, thank you! thanks for your original idea & thank you for following this one! MWAH!

maxiefae: you're sweet! thank you for commenting! MWAH!

Guest: he does! that's the best part(: thank you for reviewing! MWAH!

see you all tomorrow! as well, i do post spoilers & notifications on Twitter, if you've got one you can follow me at RuffledParasols!