The Lover and the Beloved
The bath was quite possibly the best Regina had had in years. Robin had brought her to the East Wing, the living quarters. There was a suite of rooms surrounding a living area. One of which was occupied by Roland, another Robin, the other, empty. It was in this empty room that she peeled off her clothes and sunk into the bath. All run by the magic Rumplestiltskin had enchanted for his castle.
She stayed as long as she could before getting overheated, and then stepped out where a dark brown…medieval dress awaited her.
Magic again.
Giving what she wanted.
Or maybe him.
When Regina emerged into the sitting room, Robin stood up from the floor where Roland and he were playing.
She stood up a little straighter, and just let him look.
Admire. Yep, she had one heck of a figure!
Roland ran to her hugging her about the legs, "I like your pretty dress."
"Thank you," Regina smiled.
"His father does, too," Robin said. He also had bathed and was no longer wearing his restrictive clothing, just casual in his pants and ruffled shirt.
Together they went to the kitchen where the other Merry Men were already eating.
"We prefer it here. More like home," Robin told her.
"Family atmosphere," Regina remarked.
"Yes. We are a family."
Surprising herself, she was able to eat. And then the camping routine continued except this time in a comfy bed, next to Roland, and she sang him to sleep for the last time.
De colores,
de colores se visten los campos en la primavera.
De colores,
de colores son los pajaritos que vienen de afuera.
De colores,
de colores es el arco iris que vemos lucir.
Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores
me gustan a mi.
He was asleep.
"Me gustan a mi," Robin said slipping his arms around her, nuzzling at her neck.
"You know what that means?"
"It sounds Latin," he shrugged.
He took her hand and led her to the sofa.
And Regina was very aware of this.
The Last Night.
He sat her down, her back against his chest, and then opened the book in which Rumplestiltskin had put the spell.
"You want to read poetry?" Regina asked astonished.
Robin laughed, "I want to read this one."
She took the book from him before he could begin. "This is St. John of the Cross. A monk. You want to read poetry from a monk!"
"Let's try this," Robin persisted. "Maybe something was left for us."
"You've already read it," she accused.
"Of course."
"Really…"
"Will you shut up and listen!"
Regina pretended to lock her lips up with a key.
One dark night,
fired with love's urgent longings
- ah, the sheer grace! -
I went out unseen,
my house being now all stilled.
In darkness, and secure,
by the secret ladder, disguised,
- ah, the sheer grace! -
in darkness and concealment,
my house being now all stilled.
On that glad night
in secret, for no one saw me,
nor did I look at anything
with no other light or guide
than the One that burned in my heart.
This guided me
more surely than the light of noon
to where he was awaiting me
- him I knew so well -
there in a place where no one appeared.
O guiding night!
O night more lovely than the dawn!
O night that has united
the Lover with his beloved,
transforming the Beloved into his Lover.
Upon my flowering breast,
which I kept wholly for him alone,
there he lay sleeping,
and I caressing him
there in a breeze from the fanning cedars.
When the breeze blew from the turret,
as I parted his hair,
it wounded my neck
with its gentle hand,
suspending all my senses.
I abandoned and forgot myself,
laying my face on my Beloved;
all things ceased; I went out from myself,
leaving my cares
forgotten among the lilies.
Robin stopped and closed the book. "You liked that," he stated.
"Wasn't bad. "
"Interesting reading the Dark One left us. It's quite likely the most erotic poem I've ever read."
"It's not like that!" Regina explained, giving him a small smack. "It's by a monk! Something like entering into darkness and getting union with his god and other such blah blah blah. We have nuns in Storybrooke. They blather about that stuff all the time."
"Yes," Robin replied. "But I recognize it. And for a monk the union is different, but for those in the married state, they go through the darkness together, also reaching God."
"We're not married and I don't believe in God!"
Robin continued as though she had not spoken, "Enter the darkness so that when all is gone, nothing remains but light, the deepest part of your soul. No secrets, no pain, nothing but each other. And then finally, we are at rest."
There was a very pregnant pause.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Regina finally said, "but you are really turning me on." He kissed her, "Careful, Robin!" she warned.
"I am, Regina." He whispered, "My beloved."
There it was.
The best "get a woman into bed" routine she had ever seen.
And she let it happen.