The potatoes were warm, soft, and deliciously seasoned with butter and wild marjoram. Regina sighed in pleasure and forked up a second bite as the flavor danced across her tongue.
As she chewed her second bite and took a third, she felt someone watching her. Turning to her right, she found Snow observing her closely. She attempted to chew her mouthful, but could not do so quickly enough to swallow.
Shielding her mouth with her hand, barked out a muffled demand, "What?"
Snow shook her head, "Nothing, just...if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were the one eating for two."
Regina coughed incredulously and picked up her wine to take a sip. After managing to swallow everything in her mouth, she turned back to her step-daughter and said, "Don't be absurd."
With a laugh Snow shook her head and took a sip of her water, grinning at Regina over the glass.
"Am I not allowed to simply be hungry on occasion?" she demanded, glaring.
"Relax, Regina," Snow set her glass down, "I wasn't suggesting anything."
Huffing in annoyance, she pushed her plate away on the table.
"Hey!" the other woman complained, "Don't be like that! Honestly, I'm glad to see you having an appetite."
The statement did nothing to assuage Regina's irritation because she knew that Snow was referring to their first few months in the castle. During that time she'd spent many nights in the library researching ways to defeat her evil sister, or safely locked away in her chambers when memories of Henry and the thought that she would never see him again became to painful to bear. Snow had spent a lot of time then bugging her about skipping meals and working through the night, urging her to take care of herself and all that nonsense.
With a sigh Regina settled back into her chair. Looking at her reproachfully, her step-daughter pushed her plate back over in front of her.
"Come on, eat," Snow instructed, taking a bite of her own food, "I formally acknowledge that you don't want me commenting on your meal-time habits. You don't need to deprive yourself to prove a point!"
Narrowing her eyes, Regina asked, "You realize I'm not your child, right?"
The princess simply smiled cheekily as she chewed a bite of roast chicken.
Glancing longingly at her plate, she sighed and picked up her fork. She pointedly avoiding looking at her step-daughter so as not to see the triumphant look on her face. Regina couldn't deny, though, that she was still hungry.
She always seemed to be starving on days she went down to the river to practice swimming with Hood.
With smile, she recalled when Henry was younger and in swimming lessons in Storybrooke. He'd always beg for a snack as soon as they left the pool. She hadn't experienced it for herself at the time, but apparently the activity took a lot of energy.
"I will say, though, that you're looking better these past few weeks."
"Better?" Regina asked.
"Happier."
"Whatever you say."
"Those walks you take on Thursday afternoons seem to be doing you some good," Snow went on, taking another bite of her dinner with a bit too innocent a look.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded. The princess had apparently noticed the pattern to when Regina went off to the river. Had she noticed Hood being gone too? Had other people? He had promised they'd be discrete, but, at the least, he would have needed to find someone to watch his child. Had his men noticed? Surely they would have. Had he told them? Had they spread it around to others in the castle...people from Storybrooke? Her cheeks burned in mortification at the thought that the people she'd lived with who knew her as the Evil Queen, turned mayor, turned back to Evil Queen, might know that she didn't know how to swim, but was trying to learn from the outlaw.
"Nothing," Snow answered, "Though the fact that you're so defensive makes me wonder what it is you do on these walks."
"Nothing you need to be concerned with!" Regina barked, "I'm not sneaking off to collude with the Wicked Witch if that's what you're worried about!"
The younger woman took her harsh words calmly, though, and simply answered, "I didn't think that for a second."
The knowing look on her face was worse than if she had been suspicious Regina was betraying them. Shoving her chair away from the table, the queen stood and stormed between the tables out of the main hall.
Letting the heavy door close behind her, she thundered down the corridor until she reached an outside exit. This area of the castle exited into the courtyard garden, which had steadily come back to life as the months got warmer. Through the gray darkness of early evening she could see that the bright purple four o'clock flowers were open and fully blooming all around her, filling the air with their cloying, nectary scent.
With a heavy sigh, she smacked her hands against the concrete railing.
"M'lady?" an accented voice asked.
Regina let her eyes drift closed wondering how this always happened. How did that outlaw always have such perfectly awkward timing?
She sighed and turned to face him, "What are you doing out here?"
"I might ask you the same question," he responded.
"Am I not allowed to be in my own garden?" she asked.
"Certainly," Robin Hood acknowledged, "But I might also ask if I'm allowed the same privilege?"
"Fine, whatever," Regina shrugged.
"If you are curious, though, I was coming back from the kitchens," he answered, "I must admit I was taking some of the strawberries that were recently harvested."
She raised one eyebrow, "Once a thief always a thief, hm?"
"I'm afraid so," he smiled, "It is my friend Will's birthday, and he has a taste for these."
Regina laughed, "Well then you're going about this wrong. If you'd told Snow it was his birthday he'd have gotten an entire party instead of just some stolen berries!"
He laughed, "I'll keep that in mind for the future. May I ask why you are out here?"
She glared at him.
"Simply for curiosity's sake," he clarified.
"I'm out here because I'm sick of everyone's curiosity," she snapped.
"Well I shall leave you to it then."
"Did you tell anyone about us?" Regina called after him as he started away.
"I beg your pardon?" he asked, "About what?"
"About..." she began, dropping her voice and stepping closer to him to speak quietly, "...about the river."
He looked at her in confusion, "Who would I tell?"
"That's what I'm asking," she insisted.
He sighed tiredly, "Why do you think I've told anyone?"
"People might be noticing that we go away together," Regina said.
"So what if they do? We aren't doing anything wrong, why should it matter?"
She looked at him incredulously, "So you have been telling people?!"
He jaw clenched, "I haven't told anyone because you asked me not to. I assure you, Your Majesty, that, to the best of my knowledge, no one has found out that you've lowered yourself to cavorting with outlaws."
She blinked at him, shocked at the vitriol behind his words. He was usually very calm even when she was in full Evil Queen mode. Of course, considering his accusation was exactly what she'd been concerned about, she felt a bit guilty.
"Robin wait!" she whirled. He stopped, turning back to her, "I'm sorry...I do appreciate what you're doing for me."
He stood before her quietly, so she went on, "I'm just...I'm not good at...this."
"This?" he asked, amusement evident in his voice.
She sighed, "Just forget it."
"M'lady," he called as she turned from him, "Would you care to join us for dessert?"
"You mean you and your men?"
He nodded.
"Is this a test?" she sighed, "To prove that I'm grateful for what you're doing for me?"
"No," Hood answered, "I just thought you might enjoy the company."
That was a surprising answer. She swallowed as she answered, "I don't think they would."
He sighed, "M'lady-"
"It's alright," she shook her head, "I'm used to it. It's um...kind of you to offer, though."
"Who says I'm simply being kind?" he asked before she could walk away. Turning back, she looked at him questioningly, "Perhaps I would enjoy the company."
Regina blinked in surprise at his words. Before she could form a response, though, he smiled widely and bid her good night.
* 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 *
She let out a shaky breath as she felt the water creeping up past her ears. Cupping her hands by her sides, she attempted to paddle against the water to keep herself up as Hood had instructed.
No matter how quickly she waved her hands, though, the water kept rising until it was cover half her cheeks and nearly to her eyes.
Gasping she sat up, immediately sinking down into the water. She quickly put her feet down, though, and managed to balance on the slippery river rocks to stand up. The water swished as Hood stepped over to her and supported her with one hand on her back.
"You need to relax," he said.
She rolled her eyes, "That's difficult to do when you're sinking."
"You weren't sinking."
"I was!"
"You were floating until you got scared. I was watching," he told her, "You just need to relax and let the water support you."
She sighed, looking at him ruefully.
He smirked in response, "Or, if you're tired of this, we could practice more breathing."
"That isn't fair," she grumbled. He knew how much she hated his breathing exercise that involved standing up against the side of the river bank with their hands braced on a rock, and lowering their faces in and out of he water to blow bubbles in between breaths. It was a technique she remembered Henry's teacher's showing him in Storybrooke. Being a four year old boy, he'd absolutely loved it...it made Regina feel ridiculous, though.
Hood simply smiled in response.
Rolling her eyes, she took a deep breath and stepped over to him, "Alright, I'll try again."
"Very well," he said, reaching through the water to hook one arm under her knees, "if that is your wish."
She put one arm over his shoulder and gripped the rough, wet cotton of his shirt to support himself as he lifted her up.
"You keep saying that, " she commented, "My wish. I know it's just a saying, but...I haven't believed in wishing in a long time."
He paused, holding her up half out of the water, "No, wouldn't have expected you would."
She looked at him questioningly, "You mean you don't believe in wishes and magic and all that?"
He chuckled, "Well I know you believe in magic."
"You know what I mean!" she shot back.
"I believe one can change their life," he answered, "But it takes more than wishes to do so."
She glanced away and absently commented, "Yes, it does. And when they're all you have left that's when you know to give up."
He frowned, catching her attention by nudging her shoulder with the arm he was using to support her back, "Are you thinking of your son?"
She quirked a smile as she echoed the answer she'd given months ago when Snow White asked that question, "I'm always thinking of him...but, not specifically him this time."
Hood looked at her questioningly, "What do you mean then?"
Regina licked her lips slowly and blinked, "I told you I've lost many people."
Robin stood still for a moment before lowering her back into the water and letting go over legs. She gripped his shoulder as she slid her feet to stand up on her own.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Let's head in," he said gently as he nodded to the river bank.
Regina shook her head, "No, I'm fine."
"M'lady-"
"I said I'm fine, thief," she sighed, "I'm not fragile. I don't need to you to protect me."
Hood chuckled, "Yes, well...I always had a weakness for trying to help those even when they do not ask for it."
"Does that include not listening to people when they tell you they're alright?" she asked reproachfully, "I'm really fine, Hood. We came here for a reason, and I'd like to make the most of it since I took the time to hike all the way here."
He still looked hesitant, so she put her arm around his shoulder again and looked at her expectantly. After a few moments of studying her face, however, he sighed and lifted her back up.
Tilting her backward he looked at her smugly and asked, "Are you ever going to call me 'Robin' again?"
Regina glared, "Don't push your luck, thief!"
His deep melodic laugh was the last thing she heard as he lowered her back into the water.
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I commented to pt159 that Robin in this fic has turned out to be quite sly. By teaching her, he's getting the opportunity to see her in a bathing-suit, and plenty of excuses to hold and touch her. Though, Regina doesn't seem to be complaining!