So sorry for the slightly belated update. I've been swamped at work with physical inventory and such being tonight. Yes, they have scheduled me to work during Once. How dare they?! I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: Only my words.
Robin gently pulled her behind him by their interlocked fingers. Regina, not one to easily admit vulnerability aloud, wondered how much longer until they made it to their destination. He still wouldn't even give her a hint as to where they were headed and her choice of shoes may not have been the wisest. Just as she was about to ask how much longer they had, Robin started quietly laughing to himself.
"What is so funny?" He glanced back at her and she could practically feel the happiness radiating off of him. "Just that I never thought I'd be trekking through the forest with a queen as a willing companion. Yet, here we are." She became amused, "Dear, we spent an entire year doing this very thing, or have you forgotten again?"
Robin squeezed her hand briefly, "Yes, but not like this. It's not the same. It's one thing to be friends with the very kind you steal from; it's another to be in love with one. Now that I've admitted it to the both of us," he smiled at her and continued walking, "it's actually finally hitting me that I am one hundred percent on royalty's side. Well, in your kingdom, that is," he winked at her. Finally she could see that they were approaching some lights in the distance. She mused to herself; of course they would be spending their first date in the middle of the forest. As they came around the clearing, Robin stopped and turned to her, "Here we are."
Regina couldn't believe what she was looking at. There were candles lit all over the small clearing with a slow burning fire built in the center. A basket was sat on a tree stump along with a bottle of Merlot. She took a few steps closer, dropping Robin's hand. "This is amazing, Robin." She glanced at him and then proceeded to walk over to the boombox sitting on a log that was placed next to the fire.
He followed her and hit the triangle that Ruby showed him to start the music. "Apparently, these contraptions are able to play music without instrument and they use something called 'batteries'. They are magnificent, don't you think?" She laughed at that, "Yes, they are. You have outdone yourself." He held out his hand to her with his other behind his back, "May I have this dance, Milady?" She looked at his hand as if he had lost his mind, "I don't waltz." He took a step closer, "Do not and cannot are two different things. Dance with me so that I may impress you." She rolled her eyes and placed her palm gently in his, "Fine, but only because you've gone out of your way to learn how to use a musical electronic device just for me."
He leaned in next to her ear, "I will learn whatever you desire I learn, if it means pleasing you." She felt what was now becoming a familiar shiver down her spine at his words. When was the last time someone actually chose to go out of his or her way to make her happy? Daniel was the only person other than her father and Henry to do things just because he wanted to make her happy.
As they started to dance a slow waltz, she pulled back to see his face. "And where, pray tell, did a common thief learn to dance so eloquently?" He gazed into her eyes, which seemed to draw him in on their own accord, "My mother taught me to dance when I was a lad. Told me that all gentlemen needed to learn and that I was to be a knight when I was grown." He breathed a laugh, "She was very wrong about my profession, as it turned out. However, I believe she would still be proud."
"I do not doubt that for a moment," Regina reassured, "Besides, most 'gentlemen' in our land were pricks." He chuckled, "Well, then I am glad I didn't become a knight as she wished." She smiled, "You know, in this land, a gentleman is something that you can be without wealth or knighthood. It is a man who has honor and is courteous. You are both and so much more." He leaned in to capture her lips in a soft kiss. "I have no respect for men who are any other way, Milady."
They stayed dancing, eventually forgetting about the waltzing and just swaying to the music. "Would you like to sit down and have a drink?" He smirked at her, "Even though you will not admit it, I know your feet are sore." She scoffed, "You think you know everything, don't you? My feet are just fine, but I would love to sit and have a drink." He pulled out the blanket and wine glasses that he had in the basket. As he helped her down onto the blanketed grass, he placed the empty wine glasses in her hands. "I have come to enjoy this Merlot. It's not the same as what we had at home, but it is quite good just the same." He poured the two glasses half full and sat down across from her. She gave him a curious look, "What are you doing way over there?" He sipped his wine, set it beside him, and reached for her left foot. "I am giving you a proper foot massage, of course."
She unintentionally let out a low moan at his ministrations on the ball of her foot. He laughed, "So, you're absolutely sure your feet weren't bothering you?" She rolled her eyes and leaned back onto her elbows, "Shut up."
When he finished her right foot and noticed her eyes were closed, he moved up next to her and started to kiss her neck. She rolled her head back and allowed him more access, to which he took full advantage of. He traveled his lips and tongue across from the base of her jaw, down to the hollow dip in her neck. He suddenly pulled back and stood, "Are you hungry, Dear?" She groaned at the loss of contact, "Yes, but not for food." She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck, connecting their lips. She started to trace her hands down his back and around to the bottom of his shirt, moving her hands beneath to touch his skin. "Regina, Love." When she didn't answer, he tried again, "Regina, we shouldn't be doing this." She scoffed, lips still sealed to his neck, "Doing what? We've already done this. What is the harm?"
He stepped out of her grasp, "That was all built of sexual tension. Let's pretend for the moment, that we haven't had incredible sex together. Let me do this right, please." She couldn't help, but accept his pleading. Of course, now she was all hot and bothered. "Okay, then. We do it your way. What did you bring us to eat, Dear?" He sighed in relief and took out two plates of food wrapped in cellophane.
"I have been learning how to cook food of this world and I've discovered that it is so much better than a lot of what we ate in the Enchanted Forest. Not to mention how great an oven and stove are." He stepped closer to her with the plates, "So, without further ado, I give you steak, fried potatoes, and this marvelous side dish called 'macaroni and cheese'." Regina reached behind him to get the silverware out of the basket and took her seat on the blanket. "Sounds wonderful, Dear." He sat down next to her and smiled. He spent the entire day setting up for this date with the help of David. He had never felt so much need to make something so perfect in his life. He wanted Regina to be impressed by him and so far, it was going well. "Here you are. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it."
She took a bite of the fried potatoes, which she had never had the pleasure of having before, and her eyes rolled back. "Oh my, this is astounding. Where did you get this recipe?" His confidence got a bit of a boost at that, "There is something called 'Google'." She choked on her next bite as she laughed, picturing Robin Hood discovering the wonders of Google. He handed her a freshly refilled glass of wine, "What is so funny?" She quickly took the wine from him and swallowed, trying to get the food down. "It's just that I can see you sitting on a computer and accidentally coming across all the adaptations on you and your story. Did you know they made a cartoon of it and they portray you as a fox?" His eyebrows shot up. "It's fitting really. You are pretty sly."
"I must watch this cartoon, then." He took a bite of his mac and cheese, "This is officially my favorite food in this world." She smiled, "Henry loves it, as well." Just as she was about to go in for another bite of her steak she looked up, "Robin, get up!" He looked up suddenly and realized that one of the candles had gotten too close to their blanket by him. He jumped up and grabbed Regina, helping her up. Robin started stomping on the blanket while Regina simply waved her hand and the fire disappeared. He was out of breath, mainly from the panic that rose at the thought of their perfect date being ruined. He pulled her into a hug, "I'm so sorry, Regina. That did not go as planned." She laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "It's perfectly fine, Dear. This night has been amazing and I wouldn't change one part of it." She squeezed him tighter, "How about we clean all this up and get back to my house and see how the boys are doing? Ruby is not the most responsible person we could have gotten to watch them."
He nodded, "Okay, but don't worry about all this. I will come tomorrow morning and clean it all up. Lets just blow out all the candles so I don't burn the forest to a crisp." They walked around and blew out all the candles and Robin put the fire out with sand and dirt.
Ruby must have seen them walking up the path, because right before they got to the door, she walked out and told them the boys were asleep and bid them goodnight. As soon as they walked into the house, Regina gasped. Her favorite antique vase was crumbled in a pile with a note sitting on top of it in Henry's scribble. 'I'm sorry, Mom. I will save my money and get you a new one.' She looked at the clock and realized that there was no way her son was sleeping that early. She crumpled the note and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, reappearing in his room. "What in the world did you do, Henry?!" She held up the note, "That was my favorite vase and it is irreplaceable. How did that even happen?!" He winced and Roland hid behind him on the bed where they were playing his video game. He cleared his throat, "Um, hi Mom! How was your date?" She took a step closer, "Do not try to change the subject. How did this happen and where was Ruby?"
He gulped and Roland came out from behind him, "Ruby was playing hide and seek with us, and me and Henry couldn't find a place to hide and I tripped and fell and hit the table and it broke. I'm sorry, Gina." Regina's face softened a bit just as Robin walked in the room. "You mean to tell me that Roland broke the vase and Henry tried to cover for him by making me believe that he did it?" She couldn't believe how much they already acted like brothers who looked out for one another. Robin stepped closer to Regina, "You broke Regina's vase, Roland?" The young boy looked down and nodded his head. "Yes, Papa. I'm sorry." Regina couldn't help the tears that came to her face as she watched the boys. "Roland, it's alright. Please," she looked between the kids, "tell me the truth next time. It would end much better for the both of you."
Henry looked at Regina, "Can Roland stay over tonight, please?" She looked at Robin to see if it would be okay and got a firm nod in return. She smiled, "He can stay any night he wants."
After they tucked the boys in, they headed to the kitchen. "Does that offer for Roland count for me, as well? May I stay over any night that I want?" She smirked, "If you're a good boy and make us some mac and cheese." The fire prevented them from finishing their dinner and she was starving. "I accept that challenge, Milady."
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