Chapter 4

'Henry, are you ready?' Regina says loudly, waiting for her son in front of the main door. She's holding a wicker basket, with some food and drinks for the afternoon. She even made her favorite apple pie. 'We're gonna be late!'

The day of the picnic is finally arrived. Regina didn't think of anything else for the past few days. She is excited and worried at the same time. She can't consider it a real date but the feelings inside her are almost the same. Even picking up the right clothes was a problem that morning. At first, she grabbed one of her many dresses, but then she remembered Robin's words. Roland and I are gonna have a picnic in the forest. She had no choice but to change her plans. She needed something comfortable but elegant at the same time. After staring at her wardrobe for several minutes, Regina decided to wear a pair of black tights pants, her favorite white shirt and the black jacket. Obviously heels were not an option, so she chose a pair of black boots.

'I'm coming.' Henry says running downstairs.

On their way to Robin's tavern, Regina is tempted to reach Henry's hand but the last thing she needs is a refuse from him. They keep walking in silence until the little boy speaks up.

'So.. how do you know him?'

What am I supposed to say? Should I lie? Oh my..

'Hmm..' She didn't see that coming, not at all. 'Well.. One night, I walked in front of his tavern and he offered me something to drink.'

Henry doesn't dare ask more and Regina, surely, doesn't do anything to encourage him. The situation is highly embarrassing. She kept her affair with Graham very secretly from her son but with Robin is different. She wants it to be different, like above board. Whatever there's gonna between them, it won't be a secret. Regina spent most of her life keeping her intentions, either good or bad, for herself.

Robin and Roland are waiting for them, right in front of the tavern. 'Regina! Henry!' The handsome man says when he sees them. 'This is Roland.'

The little boy stretches his arm toward them. He's so little and adorable with those short dark brown hair. Regina lowers to look him in the eyes. 'Hey Roland. I'm Regina.' She says shaking his little hand. 'This is my son, Henry.'

'Hi.' Henry says and big smile appears on the little boy's face when he turns to him.

Clearly Roland has his father's charm.

Regina is losing herself looking into those big black eyes, but something captures her attention behind him. 'Is that..' She moves her head to take a better a look, '..a bow?'

Roland nods his head as Robin speaks up. 'Yes, Ma'am. Shooting arrows is our family thing.'

'Awesome!' Henry is enthusiastic.

'I asked daddy to take it with me and he said yes.' Roland says with an adorable tone of voice that Regina can't help but smile. She couldn't blame Robin; she knows she wouldn't be able to say no to Roland herself.

'Shall we?' Robin says, getting everybody's attention. Regina rises up, leaving Henry and Roland to lead the way. Her heart melts looking at them talking right in front of her. It feels like they know each other since forever.

'I noticed that you brought one yourself.' She says referring to the bow on his shoulder.

'Does it bother you?'

'No, as long as you keep that thing away from me.' The brunette genuinely smiles. She may be a Mayor now, but she's still a Queen after all.

'We will see about that.' He laughs, walking side by side.

They walked in the forest, not very far from the tavern. Robin suggested to stop in a very adorable spot. The trees create the perfect atmosphere. The rays of sun filter through the leaves above them, shining up their little spot in the forest. Regina grabbed the classic cover for picnic – red and white checkered – and placed at the ground, as Robin takes a bottle of water and a bottle of red wine from his backpack.

Wine is a cliché for a picnic.

Robin teaches Henry how to shoot an arrow, with Roland's bow. Regina didn't allow her son to shoot a real arrow. He's too young for that and anything could've happened with it. Watching them, shooting at the main tree in front of them, reminded Regina the old days, back in Enchanted Forest. Regina's biggest desire was Snow White's heart on a plate. She could've achieved very easily, if only she didn't want to make her suffer as long as she could. Regina had magic on her side and Snow White? What did she have to defend herself from the terrible Evil Queen? A lot of friends, Prince Charming and her bow. Regina lost count of how many times Snow tried to shot an arrow to her, but she always failed. Even that time when they lead Regina into a trap and actually captured her. In front of Snow, David, her own father and many people, Regina said the worst things that ever crossed her mind. The archers shot tree arrows, aiming Regina's heart, but Snow stopped the execution right in time. She didn't have the courage to let her step-mother die, despite all the awful things Regina did to her.

The situation is quite odd this time. Regina is sitting on the cover, watching those three boys. The way Robin is teaching her little prince how to correctly manage that bow is beyond her words. He's not putting any pressure on him, he's just giving Henry his time to learn how to use it. And then there's Roland, standing right next to his dad, giving Henry some advices that only children could understand.

Henry shoots his third arrow that slightly hits the bark of the tree before to disappear in the forest.

'Don't worry. It'll be easier the next time.' Roland says trying to comforting his new friend.

A smile spontaneously appears on Regina's face that she barely realizes she's smiling. 'So..' She says capturing the men's attention. 'Who wants a piece of my apple pie?'

Roland's eyes are shining, the happiness is so clear on his little face. 'Me!' He says running towards her.

'You really should taste it. It's mum's specialty.' Henry whispers to Robin, as Regina takes the cake from the basket. She does her best to pretend that she didn't hear it but she can't help but smirk. Robin and Henry sit in front of her on the cover, and with Roland by her side, they're creating a sort of a circle.

Regina gives the first slice of pie to Roland, who doesn't hesitate and tastes it. 'Do you like it?' She asks. Roland nods his head without saying a word, as his mouth is full of pie.

'It's delicious, Regina.' Robin says capturing her attention from his son.

'I told you!' Henry replies before she has the chance to thank him. Regina smiles politely to Robin.

'Would you like a glass of wine?' He asks her as he finished his slice.

'Yes, please.'

He pours two glasses of water for the kids and two glasses of red wine for them.

My God. Why he's always like this? So… so perfect?

For the first time ever Regina feels like she's part of a family. She can't actually consider Robin and Roland part of her family, not yet. She doesn't even understand her own feelings for that man. Regina's childhood wasn't easy and the fact that her mother wanted her to be queen only made things worse. Her father was always by her side, but she can't remember a single moment that they spent happily as a real family. But that time with Henry, Robin and Roland feels so genuine that she can't help but think that there could be something more. That maybe one day she will be able to have her own family.

'Roland, why don't we go and try on a bigger tree?' Henry says bringing her back on her Earth. She was really dreaming with open eyes.

'Yes!'

They both stand up fast. 'Don't go too far. Okay?'

'Okay, mum.' Henry reassures his mother before walking away with Roland. Regina is not happy with the idea of two little kids walking alone in the forest but she trusts them to stay close to their spot.

'So.. Madame Mayor..' Robin says standing up right in front of her. 'Would you like to give it a shoot?'

'Excuse me?' She raises her face to look him in the eyes.

'Come on. It'll be fun.'

'I thought I made myself pretty clear earlier when I said to keep that bow away from me.'

'Just one.' Robin stretches his arm towards.

Regina is so close to refuse his invite once again, but this time she hesitates. She grabs his hand and lets him help her standing on her feet. 'I hope I won't regret it.' She says as he takes his bow from the ground.

'Here.' Robin hands her over the bow and an arrow.

It should be easy. I saw Snow White doing it thousands of time. I can do this.

Regina points the bow towards the ground before to place the shaft of the arrow on the arrow rest and attach the back of it to the bow string. She takes a deep breath, raising the bow to aim the tree in front of them.

'Oh, no. Wait.'

'What?' Regina turns to him wondering what she did wrong. It looked very easy when Snow did it.

'Allow me.' Robin gets closer from behind and gently lowers her inner elbow, before to place his right hand on her hip. A thrill of excitement runs through her back, and things only get worse when he covers her hand around the bow with his. Somehow, Regina controls herself as Robin slowly moves her body in the right position. 'Use your chin as anchor..' he whispers to her ear, 'Or the corner of your mouth.'

Robin's face is so close to hers that she can feels his warm breath against her neck. Regina follows his instructions step by step, giving him the full control of her body.

'You should be able to look straight down the spine of the arrow.' He says releasing her hand. 'Now. Don't hold your breath when you shoot.'

If I need to be completely focused to shoot an arrow, then I'm already doing it in the wrong way.

Regina takes a very deep breath, trying to focus on the tree, instead of Robin's seductive tone of voice. The back of the arrow is pressed against the corner of her mouth. She automatically closes her left eye, breathing out as she shoots her first arrow. The iron tip strikes the bark right in the middle of the tree.

'Oh my..' She doesn't believe that she really struck that tree with an arrow.

'See? It's not that bad.' Robin says without stepping back. To not break the body contact, Robin's fingers trace a line at the end of her back as she slowly turns to look him straight in those blues eyes.

Here we are.. again.

Regina looks down and stares at his lips. She doesn't want to waste another opportunity like that but she's waiting for him to make the next move. And he does. Robin wraps his arm around her, pulling her closer. Their lips meet halfway in a sweet and delicate kiss. His lips claim hers, warm and soft, like a tender caress.

The bow in her hand slips out of her fingers, falling at the ground. 'I'm sorry.' Regina says breaking the kiss to look down.

'Leave it.' Robin raises his left hand and cups her cheek. 'It's just a bow.' He whispers before to kiss her again. He angles his head, taking more, trailing the warm tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips in a quest for entrance. She gasps and he deepens the kiss, sliding his tongue inside her mouth, gliding it against hers in a sinuous dance like nothing she had ever experienced. She grabs his brown hair in her hand. He tastes good, so good, like the way he smells. Of wind and woods and man.

She doesn't know for how long that kiss last, but she surely doesn't want to stop. When they eventually break apart her forehead gently starts rubbing against his.

On their way back home, Henry and Roland are walking in front of them. Regina can't help but think of that kiss. She can't explain exactly what it could mean to her, to them, but she liked it. Hell, she loved it.

'It was a lovely afternoon.' Robin says breaking the silence between them. He moves his right hand and holds hers. 'Thank you for coming.'

She looks down fast wondering if it's really happening or she's just dreaming with open eyes again. No dream. It's real. Robin's hand is in hers. Everything is so unreal for her. First the kiss and now this. For a very brief moment she almost took away her hand, wondering what Henry would've thought seeing his mother holding Robin's hand, but she didn't.

'Thank you for inviting us.' Regina says looking back at him. They smile at each other, keep walking towards the tavern.

The sun is setting right behind their backs. When Regina looks down as Robin starts rubbing his thumb on her skin, she notices something she didn't before. Robin has a tattoo on his right arm. Trying to not look too much nosy, she takes a better look at it, gasping loudly when she realizes what it is.

The guy with the lion tattoo.

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