Author's note: So I've decided to continue this. It will now be a series of one-shots primarily focused on Regina and moments throughout the course of the series. Thank you all for your lovely comments and follows! I have a few ideas for some more chapters, but I'm happy to take prompts for this or anything else you'd like to throw at me. Comments and criticism are welcome as always. I'm still very new to this so anything you have for me is greatly appreciated. Xx
They get into a habit of sorts over the course of the coming weeks. It's never spoken, but there is no need to put what they are doing into words. She arrives each evening and waits in the shadows until the queen nods her head or calls her over and they sit together in the silence of the courtyard and take what comfort they can from being in one another's presence.
Sometimes they talk and sometimes they don't, it's simply whatever is needed at the time. They trade lists of things they miss from Storybrooke (whiskey and electricity for her and coffee and hot running water for the queen topping the lists), but they always carefully avoid talking about the thing they know they both miss most, Henry. Each evening ends the same way, with Granny demanding she eat more and look after herself and the queen offering a biting retort about how if the food were better maybe she would be able to stomach it, before they both separate to go to their respective rooms feeling a little less empty than before.
This carries on for several weeks until one night she arrives at the usual time to find her spot on their bench occupied by someone else, the archer Robin Hood. At first she wants to leave them alone, she doesn't want to intrude upon the queen's privacy, but then the wolf rears its protective head and she slinks back into the cover of darkness to watch over the pair. The queen puts up a good front with her acerbic wit and stinging comments, but Granny knows that she is still a fragile, heartbroken woman and while Robin seems to be a decent, honorable man she doesn't know him well enough yet to wholly trust him around the grieving monarch.
The outlaw is leaning back on his elbows with his legs stretched out in front of him with an air of casual comfort that contrasts with the straight-backed rigidity of the woman sitting beside him. They make quite the striking pair bathed in the warm glow of the moon and twinkling brightness of the stars. He is earth and warmth, dimples and laughter and she is cool and stoic, sarcasm and narrowed eyes. The arresting image they make only matched by the endless cycle of banter that charges between them like an elaborate dance.
He whispers something to her that makes her laugh, it's a bitter choked little sound, but it's the closest thing she's heard to mirth coming from the queen in months. That little release seems to ease the tension lingering in the air and Granny decides that maybe she can release the queen to the thief's care for the evening and she slips away unnoticed back to the comfort of her rooms.
...
The following evening she begins a new pattern, a pattern of silent observation from afar. She still arrives each night as she always has, but now she watches as the outlaw takes up the position she has held over the last few weeks beside the queen. Regina still arrives each evening in her full regalia, wearing every inch of leather, lace, and boning like the armor that it is, hair and makeup perfectly styled into the mask of strength and indifference than only she and the thief know to be a façade.
Things start out simple enough, the thief seamlessly fits himself into the role she had occupied previously either sitting silently or trading light comments here and there when words are needed, but gradually things begin to change. The first few nights there is a distinct distance between the queen and the outlaw, a physical gap that is not to be crossed until one evening the queen arrives with her hair half down, loose curls coasting down her back and Robin can no longer resist the urge to reach out and curl one of the long silky tendrils around his fingers. The touch is brief, but the queen notices and over the coming days she begins to wear her hair down more often, choosing styles that leave portions of her shining curls hanging down her back instead of the elaborate updos she tends to favor that leave her hair sculpted and pinned into submission. It's a subtle change, but still noticeable.
The following evening the pair decides to wander around the courtyard while they chat instead of lingering on the bench as usual. Granny is careful to sink herself further into the darkness of the surrounding walls to avoid being spotted by them, but she is still able to see clearly when the queen loosely drapes her arm through the crook of the outlaws elbow, delicate fingers resting just above his wrist as they continue to walk. The thief looks over at the touch and the queen simply raises an eyebrow as if to dare him to say something and he simply chuckles and drags his lower lip up with his teeth and grins at her with a soft dimpled smile Granny notices he reserves only for the queen.
The next morning Granny passes her in the hallway as she rushes off for yet another meeting with the Un-Charmings and she can't help but notice how some of the color has returned to the queen's face. A slight glow has tinged her cheeks and the dullness behind her eyes seems to have brightened just a bit. Perhaps the thief is useful for something after all.
…
Things continue on like that for another week. The queen and the outlaw meet in the evenings and stroll together in the privacy of darkness always guarded by the ever watchful eyes of the protective wolf who lurks in the shadows. Until one day the queen locks herself away in her rooms, refusing all visitors or any food that is sent to her chambers. Snow warns the residents of the castle to give the queen a wide berth for the day when she calmly announces at breakfast that today is Henry's birthday.
Granny rushes through her chores for the day and enters her position in the courtyard earlier than normal with every intention of telling the outlaw that his presence this evening will not be welcome, but when she arrives she sees him already there pacing back and forth with a look of concern so deeply etched into his forehead that she forces herself to wait and see where things go. He finally gives up pacing and sits heavily on the bench, his tension still present in the bouncing of his knees. They don't have to wait long before the queen enters the courtyard in a similar state to how Granny found her that first night so long ago. Her face is scrubbed of makeup and her eyes are red and puffy from where she has certainly been crying. Her hair is wild, hanging heavily down her back, a few gentle curls blowing lightly across her face in the evening wind. She is completely stripped of any semblance of the evil queen as she stands there, barefoot, frozen in place wearing a simple cream silk nightgown covered by a deep midnight blue robe that is knotted securely at her waist.
"What are you doing here?" she practically growls at the thief as he quickly stands from his reclined position on the bench.
"I didn't see you around the palace today. I simply wanted to check and make sure things were alright."
"I'm fine. There, you've done your check, now will you go?"
She watches as the thief leaves his position beside the bench and moves closer to the queen. Sees how he studies her face, takes in the redness of her eyes and the tear tracks on her cheeks glistening in the moonlight. He moves forward then and gently rubs his thumb along her cheek wiping away the remnants of a tear before cupping the side of her face with his palm and leans in to whisper, "I am not convinced. What is it Regina? What can I do to help?"
The queen looks up at him then, no, not the queen, Regina because that is who she is now barefoot and broken looking up at the thief with grief shining so heavily in her eyes Granny can see it clearly from her hiding spot across the courtyard. Those eyes just stare up at him searching his face as if she is gauging his sincerity and deciding where exactly she wants this moment to go. Something in her gaze falters then and her voice cracks over the words as she answers him, "I just want the pain to go away."
Granny watches as the thief cards his hand through the loose hair at the back of her neck and tilts her head up to meet his lips in a gentle kiss. When she hears the whimper the queen releases in the back of her throat at the contact, she almost steps in to stop him, but just as she moves into the moonlit portion of the courtyard that whimper breaks into a sob. She watches as Robin releases his hold on the back of her neck, lightly sliding his hand down her back in comforting strokes as the queen crumples into his arms shaking with sobs and clutching desperately to the lapels of his jacket.
She steps back into her place in the shadows and watches as the thief sits back down on the bench, pulling Regina with him into the comforting circle of his arms. She listens as he whispers soothing words into her ear and presses a kiss to the top of her head never stopping the repetitive slide of his hand up and down her back. For the first time in all the weeks she has stood guard over the couple, for she feels that is what they are now, she trusts the outlaw to look after the queen and she leaves them alone to their privacy.
…
The next morning she heads to the kitchens to begin preparing things for the morning meal and she finds a single folded piece of paper waiting for her on her table.
I know you have been watching us. I promise you she is safe with me. Thank you for caring for her, just as I do.
Robin
Carefully refolding the paper she slips it into the pocket of her apron where she knows it will be safe and goes about her morning routine with a smile on her face. She never returns to the courtyard at midnight again.