AN: I have this thing, where I love the idea of Regina protecting Snow, and vice versa, so the next two chapters have a bit of that, and also painful romantic trash in this one, because I'm all about suffering lol. Thank you all so much for all the wonderful reviews and feedback. I love you guys for following my story for so long, and being so patient with me!
We had spent most of the day out in the garden, through the vast acres, every flower imaginable lining all the paths. After some time, Regina and I settled in a clearing that was lined by different fruit trees, a blanket spread out on the grass that had some foods and wine that was barely touched. Regina let me pick apples from her tree though, because she knew how they were my favorite. It was one of the few things that she and I had in common, but not the only thing, because as I placed the basket full of gorgeous fruit on our blanket, I felt her eyes on me, watching my every move. I smirked to myself, and smirked at her as I turned around.
"Blue compliments you well, dear." She said with a mischievous voice, as she pushed off of the tree she was leaning on, and making reference to my light blue dress. Her approval made me blush slightly, the flush running down my neck and drawing her eyes to the swell of my cleavage, as she walked towards me. It was not the most comfortable or appropriate gown for an outing, but my options as a princess didn't leave many choices. I wished I had the freedom she had, to wear casual and simple silk gowns when father was away, or riding pants and comfortable blouses on occasion, just as she was wearing this evening. They would never say a word to her, not like they do when scolding me, and I wished I could ride off to the woods whenever and wherever I pleased, not answering to anyone. Though, there were some freedoms neither one of us possessed.
"It's not your favorite color on me." My statement had a playful tone to it, which caused Regina to raise a single eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"You like red, I can tell."
She hummed to herself at that, making slow but sure steps towards me, and I felt the blush on my cheeks grow hotter.
"Observant girl. And what else can you tell?" Regina was in front of me then, scanning my face obviously, lingering on my lips even more so.
"That you want to kiss me." My smirk grew to a smile, with her eyes on me, ones that were growing softer by the moment. A single finger rose to trace my jaw line, my body shivering in response as she whispered;
"Indeed."
Just as she leaned in to capture my lips, I pulled my head back.
"But you can't." A laugh almost broke from my lungs at the confusion she let slip on her face.
"Since when?" Regina practically huffed, and that did make me chuckle slightly as I turned away from her.
"It's too dangerous, out in the open like this." I said over my shoulder, a smile still on my face as I strolled a little farther down the row of trees. I reached down to brush my fingers against some snow bells growing in the garden, and I jolted when Regina pushed the length of her body against my back, hands curling suggestively around my upper thighs and pulling my backside against her. A gasp came out of my mouth as I stood straight, while angry hushed words came out of her and hit the shell of my ear.
"Do you think the birds will sing a song of it?" She mocked, clearly put off that I would deny her, but I was only thinking of her.
"Someone might see." I whispered, and she turned me around in her arms. Whatever anger was in her voice didn't show on her face, her features softened and I felt myself lost in them as always.
"No one will, I'll make sure of it." Regina's hands grew bolder on my sides, moving up the curve of my corset.
"If someone does, will you fight gallantly to protect my honor?" The playful tone back in my voice and a smile graced her lips because of it. Today had been a good day, this whole week in fact, full of softened features and playful tones. Teasing whispers and once I even heard Regina laugh, and it sounded light and almost real. She always acted more at ease the times father was away.
"What honor do you have left dear? Where does it hide?" She asked with a cock of her head. "Here?" Both of her hands raised to move her nails along my neck, feather light and teasing, making me giggle like a child and squirm away from her. Regina reached out though and grabbed my wrist, pulling me back against her, a smile on her face. Once I felt arms circle around my waist, I tensed, so she whispered my name, and I felt my heart swell at the sound.
"Do you think I'm pretty?" I asked suddenly and it caused her to pause and look in my eyes, and I know she was searching, trying to figure my angle at such a question.
I had none though. I simply was too much of a coward to ask if she loved me.
"You are." She said finally, but it was a flippant answer, a placating one, and her eyes were on my lips once more. "You know you are."
Then she kissed me, and I let her, so utterly foolish for just the simplest signs of affection given to me from her. Only her. For all my life, I swore it to be true.
Ideas of romance turned quickly to thoughts of lust though, as she deepened the kiss, my mouth opening for her, and spurring her on with a whimper from me and a growl from the Queen. Regina wrapped her hand along the back of my neck, fingers teasing their way into my long and thick hair, as she pushed her body against mine, leading my back to hit softly against a nearby tree. I arched my back off of it, bringing our bodies closer and moaning wantonly as her teeth pulled at my bottom lip.
"You make me crazy." Regina hissed, words born of a particular frustration that caused a smirk to line my lips, as I pulled back from her to see the dark lust in her eyes.
"How?" My hands moved along her hips, feeling the heat of her skin through the silk material of her shirt, feeling her breathing under my fingertips. It made me light headed. "Do you think of me often?"
Regina grabbed my wrists, quickly pinning them against the rough bark at either of my sides, clicking her tongue and shaking her head, causing me to bite my lip.
"I think often of how frustrating you are." She dipped her head down, kissing lightly at my jaw, moving her lips against my ear. "I think often of how much I wish you were out of my life." She whispered softly, and those words—those felt like a confession of love. A twisted one, but from Regina I expected nothing less. Still, the pain and passion, the pull between us were all in her words, and it sounded like the way she looked at me. It sounded like the way I looked back.
"Tell me to leave, and I will." My whispered words, caused her to pull back and look me in the eye, pausing for a moment before responding.
"If I can't leave, neither can you."
The words settled heavy between us for a long moment.
"One day…" I swallowed hard, trying to gain a coward's courage. "We'll both leave—"
She shushed me, her eyes closing as if she was in pain, and I felt the pain in kind. There were some freedoms neither one of us possessed. One hand pulled out of her light grasp on my wrist, as it raised and cupped her cheek, thumb brushing the skin a bit, so that her sight was on me once more.
"Kiss me."
Regina shot forward, capturing my lips again, and diving back into this familiar act between us. She enjoyed kissing me, it was distracting and made us feel something different than what we felt any moment we were doing anything else. Soon enough, lips were back on my neck, nipping and sucking gently, causing soft and needy moans from my throat. My eyes were closed against the sensation, and through my closed eyelids, I felt the light of the lowered sun disappear, as if a shadow covered us. My eyebrows started to knit together at the same time as Regina's fingers went to the front ties of my corset.
"Your majesty." A voice spoke in front of me, making my eyes shoot open, and the sound of the guard's words felt booming and loud, sounded like a crack of a whip, felt like a slap across my face.
A cold replaced the heat that Regina's lips left, as she jerked away from me faster than my brain could process, and I stood frozen against the tree, focusing on the sight of a guard standing not 20 feet away from us, his head down slightly, and sight on the grass in front of his feet.
How could we have been so careless, so stupid? How did neither one of us hear his approach? I was foolish, I should have been stronger, deterred her advances, because I knew this was dangerous. I tried to tell her.
Regina's eyes caught mine for a brief second, something I couldn't decipher flashing across them, before turning toward the guard, keeping me blocked from his view as much as possible. Still, I knew my face was as red as the lipstick stains on my neck and chest, speared and crimson, and her mouth was parted and swollen. There was no denying, no rebuttal we could give. A feeling of dread and terror swelled in me, freezing me in place, and I only prayed to God that they didn't kill her for my sin.
"I said specifically not to be disturbed this evening." There was a cold in her voice she never even used on me, a darkness and authority I had no idea she possessed. A chill ran down my spine at the sound. She stood up straighter though, her hand slowly reaching behind her and held out and open until I inched closer and took her hand in mine, her shoulders and stance felt tall as a mountain, guarding me. She allowed herself to be used as a shield for me, and I felt safe, even if I knew better. I believed what she told me one night, that no one would harm me. No one but her. So my fingers squeezed a little tighter, because I could survive the pain Regina gave me, but I could not survive without Regina.
"The King requests your presence, your highness." Came the respectfully quiet, yet calm response, and at that, her hand squeezed mine, so I focused on the grass and wished to be anyone else at the moment. Anyone else with her. "He was insistent."
He was back early from his week-long outing. I was not naïve, I knew—
"Well, if he was insistent, then of course." The cold tone filled with anger, and a quick jerk of her head had him bowing and marching off. Her hand pulled out of mine, and it felt as if she was pulling the heart out of my chest.
Regina turned towards me, her hardened features softened slightly, but her tone was still cold.
"Go back to the castle, and straight to your chambers."
"Regina—" I started, and she shot me a warning with her look.
"Do not argue."
"Will he tell?" My question caused her to pause, considering me, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw her hand close into a fist again.
"No." Was the sure and simple answer, her sudden confidence surprising me. "He's my guard, not the King's."
I didn't know what she meant by such a statement, but Regina's patience for my ignorance ran thin.
"Go."
Come with me
I almost said, the words wanted so badly to break out of my chest where they stayed, but she turned quickly on her heels and made her way toward the main entrance to the castle, so I made mine toward the kitchen entrance, the closest towards my room. Avoiding any staff I could, I finally made it back up to my chambers, where I stayed the rest of the day.
Thinking about kingdoms and my role in them, thinking about other lands, and how things could be different. Things could be better. Anything other than this, and I'd be able to breath again.
