Regina shook her head as she neared the clearing. She could not believe she was doing this. What had she been thinking?
She didn't need to swim, she just needed to be more careful and resistant to Prince Charming's idiotic ideas. She needed to keep practicing her magic. It had only been a year and half since she'd gotten it back. After a 28 year hiatus she would still be rusty. That was why she hadn't been able to poof quickly enough to avoid falling into the river. She was out of practice, that was all.
This whole idea was ridiculous. Crazy even! She must have lost her mind...maybe it had been one of that green witch's spells.
Yes, that must have been it. It was the only logical explanation for why she would even consider something like this!
She needed to focus on maintaining the castle's magical protection, and finding a way to defeat certain unexpected relatives, not wasting time on pointless pursuits because her pride had been momentarily hurt. Not sneaking away from the castle to splash around in a river with a backwoods outlaw because she'd been foolish enough to not only listen to his ideas of what it meant to be capable, but to make herself beholden to him by letting him help her...no, teach her!
Making a decision, she strode on the rest of the way to the clearing. She would just go to inform Hood that this was a terrible idea, and she wanted no part of it.
She emerged from the trees and stepped up to the river bank. The water sparkled, and, under the mid-afternoon sun, the air was thick and warm. The outlaw, however, was no where to be seen.
She narrowed her eyes in annoyance at the fact that he was late...or maybe he'd stood her up. That would be just like him. Get her to actually agree to something so humiliating, and then laugh about it with his entourage of woodsmen!
Regina resolutely ignored the part of her mind which knew that sounded nothing like Hood. In fact, it sounded more like her...the old her would have stood him up rather than bothering to hike all the way to the river to tell him she changed her mind.
Crossing her arms in irritation, she turned back toward the trees to do just that. She only made it two steps, though, as Hood stepped out of the trees just as she turned.
Pausing, Regina meet his eyes and cleared her throat.
He quirked his lips and stepped over to her, "Your Majesty."
"Hood," she nodded.
Chuckling in his throat he said, "I am glad to hear I've graduated from 'thief', though most call me Robin."
"Fascinating information," Regina deadpanned.
Hood blatantly rolled his eyes as he stepped past her and asked, "Are you ready to get started?"
Shifting on her feet Regina answered, "Actually I wanted to talk to you about that."
He turned to her expectantly.
"I don't think this is a good idea."
"Why is that?" he asked.
"I just don't need to be wasting my time with something...childish," Regina explained.
Robin Hood looked at her for a moment before answering, "Well we don't have to do anything you don't want-"
"Good," she answered, turning toward the woods.
"Although I think you're lying," he called after her.
Turning back, she looked at him dangerously, "Excuse me? About what exactly?"
"There's no need to be scared-" he began gently
"I am not scared of a little water," she growled.
"I understand. But I know you don't like to feel ineffective, and being new to something like this-"
"You don't know me, thief!" Regina shot back, "I've learned things you can't even begin to comprehend!"
She felt a hint of satisfaction in the truth of that statement. Her days as Rumpelstiltskin's apprentice did not represent fond memories since they had eventually lead her to losing Henry, but recalling the things she had mastered, things that seemed impossible to most, made her feel a little bit better.
"Then why should this be a problem?"
Huffing in frustration, "It wouldn't be! I could learn to swim-"
"That's good," Hood interrupted, "Belief is a good first step."
"I just don't want to," she answered, annoyed how petulant and young she sounded.
"Why not?" he asked, laughter evident in his voice.
Her mind raced for reasons, and she finally answered, "Well, for one thing, I remember how cold that river was the other day! You felt it too, so I don't know why you thought this would be a good place for a lesson or...whatever you call it!"
"Well m'lady, at this time of year the western river is primarily fed by melting snow from the mountains," he explained with one of his aggravating cocky smiles, "That is why the current was so strong and so frigid. This river, as you can plainly see, is shallower and slower flowing. It will also be warmer because it is not fed by melt water."
She considered this as she glanced at the river. She didn't claim to be an expert, but what Hood said actually made sense.
"The decision is yours, though," his voice caught her attention.
"Why would you want to help me with this?" Regina finally asked.
Hood glanced down slightly before answering, "The way you spoke of your childhood...I know what it must have been like for you."
She looked at him skeptically.
"I was not always a thief," he explained, "My family was a noble one."
"That doesn't mean you know what it was like," she said quietly.
"Yes," he acknowledged, "But leaving my family, and their influence, has taught me that no man...or woman, should feel vulnerable simply due to notions of propriety."
That answer surprised her. It was a lot more insightful than she would have expected from him. After taking a moment to think things over, she turned to step right up to the outlaw, and stared at him hard, "If you tell anyone about this, thief, I will make certain you regret it!"
Throwing her another smirk he gave her what was apparently his favorite catch phrase, "Wouldn't dream of it."
She stepped back, "Alright, so how do we do this?"
Stepping away from her, he sat down on a rock near the river bank, and began undoing the laces on his boots as she said, "Well, that could be a bit difficult."
"How do you mean?"
"I believe I did advise you to wear more appropriate clothing," he said as he pulled off his boot, "You might very well sink like a stone in that."
Regina glanced down. This morning she had dressed in her usual dark trousers and boots, but, even when reconsidering the idea of learning to swim, she had foregone her corset in exchange for just a silk shirt. It wasn't exactly swimwear, but there was no such thing as a bathing-suit in this land.
"Well what would you suggest then?" she demanded.
"Something light and easy to maneuver in," he answered, his voice mildly patronizing. Regina glared, but the man seemed unbothered by it. She watched him unfasten his jerkin and shrug if off. When he turned his back to her to fold it and pile it on top of his boots, a smile crossed her lips. She'd had just about enough of the thief having the upper-hand, and there was one way she'd always managed wield power over men before.
Calling on her magic, she poofed away her Evil Queen outfit in exchange for a new garment. She sighed, shivering slightly at having so much skin suddenly exposed, even on a warm day.
It was worth it, however, at seeing Hood's reaction when he turned back to her. He was holding the belt he had just removed in his hands, and he didn't drop it, but she could tell he came very close. His mouth, however, did drop open, and his eyes widened like a startled deer.
The smile that had been playing at her lips grew wider. She had chosen a low-cut white one-piece with gold accents at the waist. It was based on something she'd seen in a catalog a few weeks before Henry's abduction to Neverland, and it was only sightly fancier than the bathing-suit she'd worn to his swimming lessons all those years ago in Storybrooke. By Land Without Magic standards, it was almost conservative. Here, however, she might as well have been entirely naked, and was very pleased that Hood's expression reflected that fact.
"Light and easy to maneuver in is what you said, right?" she repeated
"Hm?" he glanced up at her questioningly, shaking himself as her question registered, "Uh...yes."
Regina resisted the urge to laugh.
Looking around awkwardly as he tried to both look at her and pretend he wasn't looking at her, Hood asked, "So that's um..."
"From the Land Without Magic?" she guessed, "Yes, this is what women there wear to swim."
"I see," he answered, this time not even bothering to hide it as he stared at her.
"Is there a problem?" she challenged.
The outlaw lifted his eyes to meet hers, "No, not at all."
Regina let her expression reflect the fact that she didn't believe his nonchalant answer, and said, "Then shall we get on with it?"
Setting aside his belt, he motioned to the water, "After you, Your Majesty."
Regina felt her upper-hand begin to waver at the realization that she was actually going to do this. She was actually going to get into a river with a forest outlaw, and let him try to teach her to swim. If anyone had told her a year ago that her life would come to this she would have laughed at them.
She wasn't about to back out now, though. Not with him standing before her, looking at her expectantly. Steeling herself, she padded down the bank past Hood and into the water. The first few steps took her in up to her thighs, the temperature of the water hitting her sharply and causing gooseflesh to break out all over her body.
Gasping, she turned to glare at Hood over her shoulder as she demanded, "I thought you said it would be warm?!"
He simply laughed, however, as he stepped down the bank behind her.
* 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 *
She felt the pull of the current all around her, pressing against her face and swirling her hair as she focused on holding her breath. Feeling confident enough after a few seconds, she opened her eyes. The water immediately stung them, causing her to lose her footing against the smooth rocks on the river bed and fall forward.
Flailing, Regina clawed for purchase underwater. After only a few seconds, though, a strong pair of hands grasped from behind and lifted her up.
She breached the surface coughing, trying to spit out the water that had rushed into her nose and down her throat.
"Are you alright?" Hood asked patiently.
Pushing long, wet tangles out of her face, she answered irritably, "Yes."
He let go of her as she stepped away and turned to face him, "I don't see what the point of this is! Squatting underwater in an area shallow enough to stand is hardly swimming!"
He nodded in acknowledgement, "True, but the purpose is for you to get to where you feel comfortable in the water."
She sighed in exasperation, "I told you I've been underwater before! I just used magic to help me those other times."
"Yes, you mentioned that. I'm still not sure how that would have worked, though."
Regina considered for a moment. The idea going through her mind was a risky one. She still remembered the feeling of tentacles squeezing her through her mirror. She certainly didn't want be playing with the wrath of Goddesses. She had enough trouble with just wicked witches. However, they were quite far inland, and it wasn't as if she'd actually be impersonating anyone when the only person around knew exactly who she was.
Making a decision, she focused her magic on transforming herself into the octopus-like form of Ursula the ancient sea Goddess.
By pushing herself up against the shallow river bed, she was taller than Hood in this form. Looking down at him, she smirked.
"Impressive," he commented, but, returning the smirk, added, "Though, I must say, I liked your other outfit better."
Rolling her eyes, she magicked herself back into her own body.
"I'm just saying, I have done this before," Regina said irritably, "I told you. Whether I know how to swim or not, I'm not scared of a little water."
"I understand that," Hood answered sincerely, "It's not about being afraid. It's simply to get used to what it feels like without preparing before hand...with magic or otherwise."
"Why?" she asked, crossing her arms under her chest.
Sighing tiredly he answered, "So that, should anything unexpected happen like it did the other day, you will know how to orient yourself in the water, and keep your wits about you."
Her initial reaction was resentment of the implication that she'd fail to do so, but Regina knew that was exactly what had happened at the western river. Everything happened too fast for her to even think of conjuring magic.
After thinking it over, she finally nodded, "Alright, should we get back to it then?"
Ducking lower so that he was submerged nearly to his lips, he smiled at her over the water, "As you wish."