Robin stood there gathered with his merry men. They were outside in the courtyard of the royal castle. After their first initial meeting with the royal family, Robin had volunteered himself along with the merry men to hunt the Wicked Witch. They were strategizing now. They knew the forests better than anyone. As they ended their meeting, Robin looked around and realized that he hadn't seen Roland in a while. He told Roland not to go inside the castle. Robin and his merry men had barely been inside the castle since they had arrived. Although the castle was huge and they had received multiple invitations from Snow and Charming to stay inside, they did not want to intrude. They felt more comfortable outside anyway. Robin was interrupted from his thoughts at the sight of Roland indeed running out of the castle.
"Papa! Papa!" Roland ran into the courtyard, excited to see his father again. Robin just shook his head. Roland loved to explore. For that he couldn't be mad at him. Robin knew it would only be a matter of time before he snuck his way inside the castle.
"And where have you been my boy?" Robin said, ruffling his son's hair.
"I been with Gina papa! Look what she gave me!" The little boy beamed as he stuck his hand out to show his father the sweet in his hand. Robin looked at it curiously. He had never seen such a thing before.
"Roland I'm not sure you should be eating that. We don't know what it is."
"No papa Gina gave it to me! She said it was a..." The little boy paused, not able to complete his sentence. He had forgotten what it was called. "Gina said it was a... a d... a dont... a du... I... I can't remember." Roland pouted but his eyes soon lit up again. "But taste it papa! It's the mostest yummy thing I ever tasted!" Robin looked at the round pastry once again. A huge portion of it was missing, already eaten by Roland no doubt. But as he looked over his son, the boy seemed fine. Robin skeptically took a bite and was pleased with the sweet taste of this unfamiliar treat. As he tasted it his eyes lit up almost as bright as Roland's.
"Well I must say Roland, that is divine." Robin smiled. "I will have to meet this Gina you keep talking about."
"But papa." Roland laughed. "You already met her!" Robin thought hard. He did not remember meeting any "Gina" during their travels to the royal palace. Perhaps this Gina was another child Roland had taken to. After all Roland was a master at making new friends.
"Well I don't remember meeting this Gina."
"Papa, Gina saved me remember? From the flying money." Robin froze. His son was talking about the Evil Queen. The same Evil Queen who had killed countless lives. Robin bent down to his son's level and spoke to him in a serious tone.
"Roland listen to me very clearly. You are not to go looking for the Evil Queen again." Roland looked up at his father confused.
"But I wasn't with a queen papa. I was with Gina." Robin sighed. His son was only four. He couldn't fault him for his naivety.
"Roland her name is not Gina. It's Regina and she is the queen." Roland's eyes lit up immediately.
"Gina is a queen?" He asked, completely missing the message that Robin was trying to get through to him.
"Roland we address the queen as 'Your Majesty' and from now on you are to stay out of the castle."
"But papa Gina's my friend!" Robin was beginning to get angry. What sort of game was the queen playing here?
"Roland that's enough. I'm just trying to keep you safe."
"But Gina..." Roland stopped as his father gave him a look. "The majesty won't hurt me. She's nice." Roland whined.
"I said that's enough Roland." Upon hearing his father's voice his lip poked out farther than Robin had ever seen it before.
"But who will I play with now?" Roland asked, clear dissatisfaction written all over his face.
"You can play with me."
"No papa you're always busy now." Robin sighed and picked up his son.
"I don't mean to be Roland but this is what we do. We help people who need us and right now my top priority is keeping everyone, especially you safe. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Roland answered sadly. Just then Robin was motioned by Little John to come back over. Robin set his son on his feet.
"Now be a good boy and play outside. I'm sure you'll find something to do."
Regina couldn't help but smile to herself. She had just received another pleasant visit from none other than Roland. The boy couldn't seem to stay away. For days now he had been coming into the castle looking for her. He would come asking to her to play with him and of course she couldn't deny him. She had always had a soft spot for children. Sometimes, she would entertain him with her magic and other times they just talked and and she would conjure up some sweets to eat. The boy could babble on forever if you let him but she didn't mind. The boy was adorable. Everything was perfect about him. Everything but his father that is.
Oh yes, the grungy thief that was camping out in her courtyard. She still didn't understand why the thief wouldn't just stay inside the castle like everyone else. They had the space. Right now they had over twenty people staying at the castle due to Snow and Charming's annoying hospitality. So surely a couple more wouldn't hurt. After all, sleeping outside in a tent was no place for a toddler.
"Regina!" She was snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see Snow staring at her.
"What?" She said in the grumpy tone that she had began using more than often lately. Snow just ignored it.
"This is the hundredth time I've called your name." Regina only responded with a role of her eyes. A smile slowly crept across Snows face. "What were you thinking about?" Regina continued to ignore her.
"Nothing." Regina quickly changed the subject. "What did you want to tell me?"
"Oh, well I think we should have another meeting about the Wicked Witch." Regina groaned at the idea.
"We just had one yesterday."
"Yes but Charming and I were talking and we think it might not be such a good idea for the merry men to go looking for the wicked witch. She is your sister..."
"Half sister." Regina interrupted.
"Well if she's anything like you, her magic will be strong. We can't put people's lives in jeopardy." Regina fumed at Snow's comment.
"I am nothing like that woman! For starters I'm not as green as a toad."
Robin looked over at Roland sitting alone on the grass. He hadn't meant to upset the boy but he needed to make sure he was safe and at the moment the queen wasn't exactly his idea of safe. As the merry men closed their meeting once again Robin headed over to his moping son.
"Hey Roland." The little boy sat up and looked up at his father.
"Yes papa?" Robin squatted down to Roland's level with a smile on his face.
"I'm going on a very important mission and I need a very brave partner to go with me. Think you're up to the task?" Roland thought for a minute but decided against it. He didn't want to go on some mission. He wanted to play with Gina.
"No." Roland said, lying back down on the grass.
"Pity." Robin said beginning to leave. "I guess I'll just have to deliver this message to the queen myself." As soon as he heard that Roland jumped up and ran towards his father with a huge smile planted on his face.
"We're going to see Gina papa?!"
"Now Roland, what have I told you." Roland thought for a second but then he remembered.
"Sorry papa. The majesty." Roland said, remembering from their chat earlier.
"Her majesty." Robin corrected him.
"Her majesty?" Roland asked again.
"Yes my boy. Unless you're talking to her. Then you say 'Your Majesty'." This was confusing. Why couldn't he just call her Gina?
Regina was walking down the corridor when all of a sudden she heard a familiar voice.
"Her majesty! We have a message! We have a message!" Regina turned around to see Roland and he practically launched himself at her. Luckily she was able to catch him return his hug.
"Roland! That is not how we greet the queen!" Robin was absolutely terrified. He was certain that Regina would be livid and cast some curse on them both. But she didn't. She only smiled down at the boy and patted his head. Robin was astonished. He hadn't seen her smile not once since he'd met her. He was even taken aback by the kind words she spoke to him. Roland was receiving far kinder words than he ever had from the queen.
"Hi her majesty." Regina giggled at Roland's improper use of the phrase.
"Well hello again Roland." Regina said in a sweet voice that matched her smile. "What are you in such a hurry to tell me?" Roland looked up at his father. He didn't actually know the message. "Um..."
"I came to give you word that we will be setting out to hunt the wicked witch come dawn tomorrow morning." Robin interjected.
"Oh, well apparently Snow wants to re-group about that. She doesn't think it's a good idea for you all to hunt her anymore." She said as she stroked Roland's cheek who was still in her arms.
"Well then. I suppose I should notify the rest of my men."
"I suppose you should."
"Come Roland. Time to go."
"Oh papa. Do we have to go already?"
"Yes son. Im sure the queen is very busy." Roland reluctantly pulled away from Regina's embrace and moved towards his father.
"Bye Majesty." He said while waving.
"Sweetheart I told you that you could call me Regina." Roland excitedly looked up at his father.
"See papa!"
"Well I suppose if it's all right with the queen." Robin said reluctantly.
"It is." She assured him. Just then Robin remembered something.
"Roland why don't you go ahead. I need to speak to the queen for a minute." Roland didn't want to but he obeyed his father.
"Ok. Bye Gina!"
"Goodbye Roland."
"So..." Robin started. "What exactly was that treat you gave to Roland?" He asked curiously. He really did want to know. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since he tasted it. He had tried to get another bite from Roland but the little boy refused to share anymore of it.
"It's called a donut."
"Interesting." He pondered. "And if say… someone were to go looking for one. Where could they find it?" Regina smirked at him. "For Roland of course." He added, hoping that if he said it were for Roland she give him one.
"Of course." She played along as she conjured up the pastry. Robin watched as a small puff of purple smoke surrounded her hand then disappeared, leaving the treat to appear.
"Oh." He stared at the sweet. "Magic." He wasn't too fond of magic.
"I learned of it from the other world. There are many things there actually. Wondrous things." Her face saddened. Talking about the world she had left behind had once again led her to think of Henry. Robin noticed the sudden change in her demeanor.
"Milady are you alright?"
"I'm fine." She lied. "And it's 'Your Majesty'." Robin looked at her confused.
"But you just told Roland he could call you..."
"Exactly." She interrupted. "I was speaking to Roland." Regina felt the tension in the air and decided that she'd better leave.
"Your majesty." Robin called after her once more.
"What?" She was startled by her own tone. It had come out much harsher than she had meant it to.
"Sorry, I just wanted to thank you."
"It's merly a small treat. No need to thank me."
"No no. Well that too but… I haven't seen Roland so happy in a while. He's really taken to you. I'm sure you realize that."
"Well he is a special boy." She smiled. It was right then when Robin saw the glint in her eye. He could see that just mentioning his son's name brought her such happiness. He didn't know why, but that was the moment that he decided he could trust her with his son.
"Why are you looking at me like that." Only then did Robin realize he was openly staring so he cleared his throat.
"Forgive me Milad... Your Majesty, but you are nothing like I thought you would be."
"Nor are you." She admitted.
"Well then. I'd better go."
"Oh." She said as she conjured up and handed him another donut. Here's one more... for Roland." She said as she winked at him. And with that she turned to leave. This time uninterrupted.
