That Thursday was clear and more temperate. Regina arrived at the river to find Hood already there with his son. The two had already stripped down to their shirts and breeches, and were in the water. Hood was passing the time by tossing Roland into deeper water, who would then pop up giggling and begging him to do so again as he swam back.
Once he caught sight of her, however, Roland sobered, and set to demonstrating in great detail how to properly pull through the water with her arms.
He spent the next hour and a half giving her very serious instruction for a four year old while his father sat on a rock in the middle of the river watching them with a goofy smile on his face.
Finally Hood saw fit to call their lesson to an end, and carried Roland up the bank while Regina stayed to float for a few minutes.
After winding down, she made her way up the bank and poofed herself into a dress. With a sigh, she stepped over to where Hood and his son had sprawled out on the grass. Roland was fast asleep, while his father lounged with his left hand behind his head.
Chuckling darkly she asked, "Tell me, does a thief's trade often require such hard work?"
Opening his eyes, the outlaw looked up at her languidly, "Not much that can be done until we're dry."
"I can dry the both of you with magic," she answered, continuing smugly, "All you have to do is ask."
"Thank you, but I don't see the need. May I ask where you are in such a hurry to go?"
Regina shrugged, "Nowhere I suppose."
"Then why not enjoy the sun?" he suggested, quirking his lips at her.
She rolled her eyes, but moved to settle down in the grass on the other side of Roland. With a satisfied grin, Hood settled back and closed his eyes.
The woods around them were quiet other than the sounds of a few afternoon birds, and the gentle babbling of the river.
Shifting uncomfortably Regina asked, "Is this supposed to be enjoyable yet?"
Robin Hood sighed heavily, sitting up to face her, "You seem awfully anxious for someone who has nowhere to be."
"That doesn't mean I have to just sit around."
"Well you don't need to stay on my and Roland's account," he pointed out.
Looking down, she picked at a blade of grass, "It's not that I just...I'm not comfortable with..."
"With what?" he prompted.
"Getting comfortable," she finally answered.
"Why?"
Gazing into the distance she answered, "Bad things tend to happen when I do."
"Do you mean your son?" Hood asked.
She nodded in response.
He drew her attention by placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "I cannot imagine the pain of losing a child."
"No you can't," she said quietly, "Before the curse broke our life was good. We were happy once...before I told him he was adopted, and he brought his birth mother to town, and...everything that happened since.
"You wish your curse had not been broken, then?" he asked, "You do not regret it?"
"I don't regret it, no. Without it I'd have never had Henry," she answered, "As for the curse breaking...it was inevitable really. Even if the so called Savior never came. Henry and I were happy, but I did always wonder how to answer questions about who his father was, and why nothing in town ever changed. He couldn't exactly have lived in Storybrooke all his life without noticing that no one ever aged. Still, after I adopted Henry I let myself get comfortable for only the second time in my entire life, and then...I lost him."
"What about the first time?"
Looking over, she asked, "Excuse me?"
"You said your life with your son was the second time you let yourself get comfortable," Robin Hood pointed out. Regina stiffened, not even realizing that she had said something so revealing, "What happened the first?"
She quickly looked away to take a deep breath, but the answer fell from her lips anyway, "The only man I've ever loved died."
She saw the surprise, and then pity, flash through the outlaws eyes as the words registered. He reached toward her shoulder again, but she pulled away before he could touch her.
"I need to be getting back," she declared, gathering her skirts up out of her way, "If you want to laze in the sun all day that's your choice."
"M'lady," he called after her as she made toward the woods, "I do not know your son or this man you speak of, but I also lost my wife, and, other than my Roland, what got me through it was know that she would want me to go on. All those who love us would want us to find our way to happiness again...just as we would them."
It was a speech she'd heard before in different variations. One of the most painful being from her own father right before she ended his life.
Swallowing hard, she whispered, "I'll see you back at the castle."
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Regina spent most of the next week doing research. So much that it got to a point when, one night, she didn't notice that dinner-time had come until the words on the page started blurring.
Pinching her eyebrows against the headache threatening to start behind them, she glanced up at the grandfather clock and saw that it was nearly 8.
Slamming the book closed, she tiredly made her way down the narrow winding staircase from the library tower.
She felt slightly more energetic by the time her feet hit the floor of the main corridor, so, taking a deep breath, she clicked her way over to the main hall where Snow and Charming hosted communal meals for the entire castle. Regina could hear the cacophony of several dozen conversations and clinking plates. It caused her to pause her with her hand on the heavy wooden door to let out a tired sigh.
After several months living the castle, she knew the meal-time routine by now. Upon her arrival there would still be plenty of people who turned to stare as she picked up her plate, and then stepped up to her place at the head table next to Snow White.
She prepared to push the door open, but found that she could not do it. Letting her hand fall, she turned from the main hall to continue down the corridor until she reached the exit to the courtyard.
It was another balmy summer night with the faint scent of hay, flowers, and a little bit of wood smoke in the air. She, somewhat pointlessly, told herself that she didn't know where she was going, but all too quickly she found her way through the maze of blooming plants and wooden carts to the glow of a campfire and rumbles of quiet conversation.
Peering through the darkness she caught sight of Robin Hood standing next to the fire. Turning around, he smiled. She licked her lips and prepared to say...she wasn't sure what. Before anything came to mind, though, Hood ducked down and caught Roland as the boy ran into his arms. Swinging him up, Hood tossed Roland into the air, the two of them giggling as he caught him.
Regina felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, and, with a shake of her head, turned to walk away.
She only made it two steps, though, before a small voice called, "Majesty!"
Stopping in her tracks she squeezed her eyes shut before turning. Roland, who was dangling upside down in his father's arms, waved to her. Meanwhile the man himself, as well as all of those gathered around the campfire, stared at her...she really should have just gone to dinner in the main hall.
Robin flipped Roland right-side up, and set him down on the ground. Smiling, the young boy jogged over to her and asked, "What are you doing here?
Clearing her throat, she responded, "Good evening, Roland. I was just checking on my apple tree...seeing how the fruits are looking."
"Can we pick them?" he answered.
She smiled indulgently and answered, "Not yet. They won't be ready until fall."
"Oh," he looked slightly disappointed, "Well did you come to have supper with us?"
She really hoped the answer to that question didn't show on her face. Regina made a mental note to suggest to Hood that she should test the boy and see if he were a little bit magic.
"I wouldn't want to intrude," she replied, not being able to stop herself from glancing at his father.
"Nonsense," Hood answered, "All our welcome at our fire."
Looking around said fire, Regina wasn't sure he was speaking for his men. All were looking at her warily, some with outright hostility such as Hood's curly haired friend John, and the big, dumb, blond who'd stared her down last time she'd sought out the archer in this courtyard.
Oblivious to their stares, Roland grabbed her hand and tugged her toward one of the benches. She obliged him, taking a seat in front of the small fire. This night was too hot to need a large one for warmth.
Roland hopped up onto the bench next to her and settled in close to her side, and his father strode over languidly to sit, at an appropriate distance, by her other side.
For a few tortuous minutes the only sounds that filled the courtyard were the crackling of the fire, and crickets chirping in the distance.
Regina was on the verge of standing to head back inside, when Robin spoke up, "Alan, how about a song?"
"Ay?" one of the younger man asked from across the fire.
"Let's have some music, shall we lads?" he repeated calmly.
Alan was a swarthy brunette with very handsome features. He blinked, looking momentarily stunned, but, after a moment, took up a lute and began strumming out a soft, pleasant tune.
As the young man began to sing, the group slowly relaxed, and attention drifted away from her. Nudging her arm, Roland crawled up into her lap.
Her lips dropped open in surprise, mind flashing back to when Henry used to do so.
She swallowed hard, tears pricking behind her eyes, but she used deep steady breaths to prevent them from falling.
Once she had herself under control, she glanced over at Hood. He seemed to be watching the singer just like everyone else, but, as she watched, she saw him glance over and quirk his lips in a reassuring smile.
Regina returned the quirk, giving him a subtle nod of understanding.
* 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 *
The heat rose quickly the next day, and, by late afternoon when she headed to the river, Regina was already feeling sweaty and overheated.
About halfway there, she happened to glance over her shoulder, and saw Hood walking about 20 paces behind her. She'd had no idea he was there, his footsteps silent as he moved.
She blinked in surprise, and frowned, "Are you following me, outlaw?"
"I believe we are simply heading in the same direction," he answered with his usual confident expression.
She sighed resignedly and asked, "Why are you always so smug?"
He laughed, "Why are you always so imperious?"
Regina rolled her eyes, "Well I am...or, at least was, a Queen. What's your excuse?"
"Perhaps I simply like getting a rise out of you," he teased.
She chuckled, "I should have guessed that."
Walking ahead, Regina emerged from the trees first and stepped up to the river. Behind her, Robin stepped over to a rock to begin removing his boots. Dropping them on the ground, he shrugged off his jerkin and used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe his brow.
"By the Gods, it is hot today," he muttered, mostly to himself, and gripped the hem of his shirt to pull it over his head. His torso was well toned and covered with a smattering of light brown hair, and she couldn't help but stare.
Unfortunately, he noticed. However, he simply asked, "Is this alright? Do you mind?"
She shrugged, turning and answering casually, "It's only fair that you should be comfortable too."
With that she poofed herself into her white one-piece and stepped into the water. When she turned, Hood was coming in behind her, smug look on his face once more.
She ignored it, though, wading through until it reached her waist, "So what are we doing today?"
"Well," Robin answered, "You've learned all the basics needed to swim. What you need now is to practice in a situation where you're out of your depth, and do not have the option of simply putting your feet down."
"Deep water?" she asked, feeling a slight twinge of nervousness.
"Yes," he confirmed, nodding to one side of the river downstream that was surrounded by a wall of large rocks, "That pool over there is more than twice as deep as any man is tall. You should begin there and swim your way out."
"Begin there?" she asked.
He nodded.
"How am I supposed to do that? There's no bank there, it's all rocks."
In response he glanced up to the top of the rocky ledge. Catching his meaning, she turned to him, "You're not serious?"
He smirked.
"You can stare at me all you want! There is absolutely no way that is happening!" she declared.
He laughed, "Alright, well, if that's how you feel about it, if you look just under the waterline...you see that line of rocks? You should be able to use them to walk around to the deepest edge of the pool."
Finding that a more acceptable option, Regina waded over to where they rocky face of the bank began. The water was nearly to her neck when she got there, and she found it a relief to pull herself up out of it. Slowly she began making her way over, moving steadily and carefully, and paying close attention to her footing as she gripped the rocks with her toes.
Finally, she made it over to the edge of the pool. She could tell she was at one of the deepest parts because the normally clear water, at this part, was dark blue. To her surprise, she felt her heart pounding at the thought of getting into it.
Taking a deep breath, she steeled her resolve and stepped off the edge. She plummeted in, water surrounding her on all sides. She quickly pushed herself to the surface, gulping down a large breath, quickly laid herself horizontally in the water before she could lose her nerve, and began paddling her way out. Each pull propelled by fluttering kicks, the water's hum interrupted only when she turned her head to take needed breaths.
She continued in that rhythm until her hand smacked into something soft, but firm. Immediately a hand reached down to grip hers and pull her to her feet.
As Regina lifted her face from the water, she found herself standing face to face with Robin who was holding her hand between his own and looking at her affectionately.
Blinking, she glanced over her shoulder to confirm that the pool was as far behind her as it had looked when she was getting into it.
Looking back at the outlaw, she whispered, "I did it."
"You did," he nodded.
A wide smile crossed her face before she could stop it. It was such a small thing, and yet a sense of pride still filled her.
Hood returned the smile, and the two simply stood together, both basking in her triumph for a moment.
Regina glanced down to where he was still holding her hand between both of his underwater.
"Did you want to go again?" he asked.
She blinked, "What?"
Letting go of her hand, he stepped past her and began wading out toward the pool, "Try swimming it the other direction this time?"
Laughing nervously, she answered, "Toward the deep water? That's some what of a different task."
"Not really," he argued, "It's the same distance."
"One might say it's the difference between running toward danger rather than away from it," she pointed out.
Turning, he stepped back into where the water began to get too deep for him to stand, "Ah, but you don't strike me as the type to run from danger."
Regain didn't answer.
"Perhaps consider it a leap of a faith?" he suggested, holding out his hand to her.
Taking a breath Regina, stepped toward him, but stopped in her tracks when she saw it. Contrasting with his fair skin was a field of dark black shaped around the outline of a lion. It wasn't glowing green, but for a moment she could have sworn it was because she could remember, as clearly as if it were yesterday, seeing it through the thick glass windows of a tavern door.
Looking up, she met this eyes. Him? It had been him all along?
His brow wrinkled at seeing her distressed expression, "What's wrong?"
Her breath caught.
She quickly stood to her full height, and began slogging her way though the water toward the bank. The resistance made it frustratingly slow, however, so less than halfway there she poofed herself to the tree line and back into her clothes.
The last thing she heard was Hood's voice calling after her as she hurried in the direction of the castle.
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This chapter felt a little off. Please let me know what you thought! Thanks.