Alone on the vacant back roads of the kingdom, with another hour to go and the daylight hours long behind her, was the last place Red wanted to be. If only she could have taken the main road, she would have been at Granny's long ago, before the sun had set, and she could be warm beside the fire with a mug of cider in her hands, rather than pulling her cloak tighter around her to fight the brisk winter breeze while her horse trotted beneath her.
She huffs her annoyance, shivers a little, and curses King Leopold under her breath. Or maybe she should curse his Queen, for it was really her fault Red was stuck out in the cold. If the Queen hadn't run away, disappearing into thin air, the King wouldn't have blocked off all of the main roads, wouldn't be barricading every exit to his kingdom in search of the young woman, then Red wouldn't be stuck riding the extra miles to make it to Granny's.
Damn the Queen, damn the King, damn being stuck in this kingdom running errands for Granny. Just… damn.
The forest is quiet at the edge of the kingdom, the only sound coming from the breeze blowing through the leaves and the soft chirping of crickets in the grass, and Red lets the silence calm her, closes her eyes for a brief moment as she inhales slowly, a measured, deep breath. It did no good to be angry over nothing, after all.
Before Red can open her eyes, her horse bucks beneath her, whinnying loudly and cutting through the silence. Red jerks, pulls on the reins and tries to regain control of her horse. The baskets hanging off of the sides of the horse bounce wildly, and Red worries that they may fall and break. She backs the horse up, yelling a loud "Whoa! Hey!" as she tries to calm the animal. She backs up several steps, turning to the side, and looks out to the path in front of her to see what startled the animal.
In the middle of the road, about 10 feet in front of them, is a body, a man, laying flat on his back.
"What the hell…" Red mutters under her breath while she strokes the neck of the horse, shushing the animal softly. She looks behind her, checks the supply of baskets attached to her saddle, and sees one fallen across the road, thankfully still in one piece.
She looks back to the man, sees that he hasn't moved an inch in the time it took for the horse to calm down, and for a moment she fears he may be less of a man and more of a dead body.
"Hey!" She shouts, testing for a reaction. When none comes, she pulls herself up and slides off of the horse, yelling again, "Hey! Are you okay?" Still, she gets no response, and a nervous knot twists in her belly. Turning back to the horse, she pats the side of its neck, whispers a quick "it's alright" for the animal's sake, and leaves the horse to move towards the man.
She inches forward, more afraid with each step, until she's close enough to look down on the man's features. He's handsome, sandy blonde hair and sun-kissed skin, clothes that don't suggest poverty, though not necessarily nobility either, and somehow his clean appearance comforts her. As if the man's good looks are somehow a saving grace for her.
Still, he isn't moving, and Red begins to fear the worse, that she's stumbled upon a dead body with no hope of finding help for the poor man. She kneels down beside him, places a hand on each shoulder, and gives him a good shake. The movement seems to knock some life back into him, as he groans in pain and inhales an uneven breath.
"Oh thank God," Red says as he coughs a bit before groaning again. "Are you alright?"
"That depends…" He says slowly, each word measured and surely painful, "what year is it?" He smiles up at her, wincing a bit as he rubs the back of his head, and Red lets out a gentle laugh, taking in the sparkling blue of his eyes. "What happened?"
"I don't know, I just found you like this. You scared the hell out of my horse."
He chuckles as he tries to pull himself up, taking her hand when she offers it, and lifts himself into a sitting position. Looking around the empty road, all while clutching at his ribs, a look of understanding crosses his face before he says, "speaking of horses, you haven't seen mine around here have you?"
Ah, that explains that. "You were thrown," She says knowingly, and he grunts when he shifts his weight, wincing at the pain that surely shot through his ribs. Red knows the feeling well, has had her fair share of nasty bruises and broken bones from riding throughout her years, and she takes sympathy on him.
"I might have something for that." Red nods towards where his hand wraps around his side, and the man gives her a grateful smile.
"You're too kind, and to a complete stranger."
"My name's Red," She yells over her shoulder as she walks back towards her horse, pulling open one of the baskets still hanging against its side. She roots around inside for a moment, pulls out a small bag of herbs, a large muffin, and a canister of water, and hurries back to his side. She kneels and holds out the supplies and nods when he looks at her skeptically. "Now we're not strangers."
She shoots him a wink, and he laughs before wincing again, taking the goods from her. "Thank you, Red. I'm Robin."
"Nice to meet you, Robin."
He opens the canister and takes a quick drink of water while Red lifts herself up and moves over to the basket that had fallen off in the earlier commotion. As she's picking it up, she hears him say, "Red seems a little on the nose, don't you think?"
She laughs, shaking her head, and reattaches the basket to the horse. "It's a nickname, it comes from, well..." She trails off, reaching down and flourishing the red riding cloak at her sides, and she hears him laugh before his shoes scuff along the dirt as he lifts himself to his feet.
"What are you doing out on the road alone? I thought only peddlers like myself took the back roads. Avoiding all those nosey Royal Guard and whatnot."
Robin comes up beside her, carrying another basket that she seems to have missed, and winks at her.
"I'm just trying to get home, I deliver goods for my Granny in the kingdom and bring supplies home for us, but the King has all the main roads blocked off as he's looking for the Queen."
"Ah, right, messy business that is, hey? Can't imagine what the King must be like if his Queen is running away from him."
Red scoffs as she tightens the strap of the basket, rolling her eyes. "Can't imagine why anyone would run away from a life of luxury and riches. She sounds like an idiot."
"Hmm, perhaps. Or maybe being Queen isn't all it's cracked up to be."
"I highly doubt that," Red says, turning back to face Robin. She leans against the horse for a moment, smiling up at her new company. "How hard can it be to sit on your royal ass and tell people what to do? Sounds like a dream job."
Robin laughs softly, nodding his agreement. "The King is painted as a kind and honourable man, simply because he gets to, as you put it, sit on his royal ass all day. But maybe there's more to the story. All I'm saying is, people may not always be what you think they are."
Red shakes her head, goes to tell him that he's wrong, being royalty was a far cry from a burden, but as he reaches out to hand her back her canister, she catches a glimmer of silver tucked into his sleeve. The flash of moonlight caught on a blade, a hunting knife, hidden just out of her sight.
Why would a peddler have a hunting knife? And why would he hide it?
A gasp escapes her lips, and her eyes jump back up to his face, where he's still smiling at her. He inches closer, drawing her back into the side of her horse.
He moves fast, faster than she would expect for someone with a few broken ribs. But he had never broken his ribs, had he? Hell, he probably never had a horse.
He grabs her by the shoulders, spins her until her back is pressed against his chest, his breath right in her ear, and whispers a gentle "you weren't suppose to see that" before he digs his blade into her throat, ripping it across the smooth skin, slicing through flesh and muscle, and it's nothing but red, blood pouring down her front until her body is the same colour as her cloak.
…:.:.:...
That man is a fucking idiot.
She watches from the trees, waiting as he talks to the young girl, and the moron has to jump into the kill, doesn't take his time like she had told him to, and soon there's blood all over his front, soaking through his vest as he lowers the body to the ground.
The girl's horse startles, rearing back before Regina waves a hand, immobilizing it with a flash of her magic, and stalks out of the trees with a loud groan.
"For fuck sake Robin, you almost lost the horse!"
"I'm sorry! I'm a little preoccupied at the moment!" He's still holding the girl, his hands stained with the dark red that still oozes from her open neck, and Regina rolls her eyes at him.
"You weren't suppose to jump her so quickly, and you certainly weren't suppose to make a mess of her clothes."
"It's not like you'd wear them anyways," Robin replies cheekily as he stands, brushing his wet hands on his pants. "They're not your style. Too… showy. And they're too big for Tink."
"We could have sold them," Regina snaps, moving towards the frozen horse and releasing it from her magical hold. It drops down to its feet, and she catches the reins, rubbing a hand up and down its long nose to sooth it.
"I don't know what you're angry about, we still have the horse and we can try to clean the clothes."
Regina sighs her exasperation, turning away from him. "I'm angry because if I wasn't here, if it was Will or Tuck or John, you'd have lost the horse, all the supplies, and would be left with a dead girl in bloody clothes."
Robin walks up behind her, wraps his arms around her waist as he pulls her into his chest, tucking his chin in the crook of her neck. "Then it's a good thing I had you with me."
Regina can't help the smile that tugs at her lips as he hugs her close, dropping soft kisses into her hair. But then his hands move to hold her hips, and she pushes him off of her.
"No no no, don't get your bloody hands all over me! This is why I wear gloves, Locksley." He laughs as he holds his bare hands up, shrugs a little and winks at her before he wriggles his fingers. Her grin drops, and she lifts a hand to point a finger at him. "No! This is the only cloak I have that isn't bloody."
He's still smirking at her, and she backs away slowly, holding her hands out at him. Then he jumps at her, wraps his arms around her and spins, pulling her with him and tickling her sides, making her shriek. Regina tries to smack him off, kicks out weakly as she laughs and screams at him to stop. Finally he sets her back on her feet, and she whaps him on the arm when she sees a smudge of the blood along her hips.
"You owe me a new pair of pants."
Robin looks her up and down, a playful twinkle in his eye as he takes her in, and Regina feels a slight flush of heat in her cheeks when he bites his lip as he looks at her. Then he leans in, cups her chin and drags his thumb along her jaw - surely leaving a smear of red behind him - before dropping a quick kiss on her lips.
"There, now you need to wash. And I can help you." He winks at her, and she rolls her eyes as he pulls her in for another kiss. This one is longer, deeper, sweeping tongues and heavy breathing, and when they break apart, their bodies are pressed tightly together, a perfect fit as she looks up into the endless blue of his eyes. He tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, a stray curl that fell out of her braid, and he smears more blood on her forehead in the process.
"Alright, enough messing me up, or I'll tell everyone at camp you almost lost our dinner and our new horse."
"But we didn't lose it!"
"Thanks to me," Regina reminds him, and it's Robin's turn to roll his eyes. She pushes away from him reluctantly, hands still pressed to his chest as long as possible before she lets them drop, and Robin pats her playfully on her rear as she turns towards the horse, grabbing hold of the saddle and throwing herself onto the animal's back. She looks back at Robin, now standing beneath her, and smiles smugly as she says, "I get credit, or you can walk back to camp."
He doesn't take much convincing, raises his hands in defeat as he allows her this victory, and then she offers him her hand, tugging him up onto the horse behind her. He holds her close, tucks his chin into her shoulder, his breath warm on the side of her neck, and he whispers into her ear, "I don't know where I'd be without you."
Regina sighs as she leans back into his embrace, finding warmth in his touch and his words just as she thinks a glum I know where I'd be without you, before they ride off together, turning onto the hidden path along the road that leads them back to camp.
…:.:.:...
In the 8 months she has known Robin, Regina has only spent 2 of them with his band of Merry Men. It's been an adjustment to say the least, though one Regina finds no trouble in. She would give up a thousand feather beds, every elegant yet pinching gown she owned, or mountains upon mountains of jewels, if it meant freedom. And this, the wind blowing through her hair, tucked in Robin's arms as they fly through the open stretch of forest on horseback, this is freedom.
Robin is her salvation in more ways than she could have expected. He is warmth in her belly and her heart. He is the carefree laughter that she hadn't let out since Daniel was ripped away from her almost 7 years ago. He is a spark in her veins when he looks at her, when he marvels over every inch of her body as if she is the rarest of treasures that the Earth holds, and not a possession to be tossed around carelessly. He is safety, comfort, home, all things she thought never possible for the likes of a lonely queen.
His men, on the other hand, are a bit rougher around the edges. They're loud, and crude, and messy beyond reason for men who move around as often as they do, but Regina loves it. It's the perfect contrast to the cage that had been Leopold's castle. Royalty may be the top of society, made to be idolized and respected, but it is not ideal, it is not a life worth living.
So Regina has put in her best effort to find a place among Robin's men. It's not difficult, as he is their leader and his men respect him enough to respect Regina, but she wants to earn their trust honestly, to be worthy of the family that they have all created together. She has grown closest with Tink, who isn't necessarily a Merry Woman yet, much like Regina, but they had spent a great deal of time together before they both decided to run away. Next was Little John, one of Robin's closest friends, who welcomed her with open arms (quite literally - bear hugs were John's specialty) and who Regina finds she has a growing appreciation for every day. He helps her learn the ropes of hunting and cooking when Robin can't, teaches her to tie a strong knot for her traps, and loves to make her laugh, says that there is nothing quite as satisfying as pulling an unladylike sound out of a queen. And then there's Will, who Regina imagines would be like the little brother she never had. He loves to tease Robin for how smitten he is over Regina, and will do anything he can to make Regina blush. He pokes fun, and likes to get under people's skin, but Regina can see that there's a relationship growing between them, her and Will, a mutual respect buried beneath crude humour and practical jokes.
She may have only a few of the men fully on her side, ones she would truly consider friends, but the others are still friendly, still know her well enough to strike up a conversation on occasion. It's progress; the rest will come with time. Slowly but surely, she'll find a place in her new family.
She thinks of them now, her family, as she and Robin ride up to camp, met by John's loud whistle and an "About damn time, you two!" from Will.
"Beauty of a horse you got there, Robin," John says as he makes his way over to the couple, patting Robin on the back when he slides off of the horse behind Regina. "I'm surprised you didn't lose it."
"He did, I got it," Regina says with a smug smile, and Robin half rolls his eyes as he shrugs, guilty as charged. John chuckles and shakes his head, taking the reins from Regina so he can tie the horse up before they can walk to the center of camp together, each carrying a basket or two with them. They drop the baskets next to the fire, kneeling down to examine tonight's haul while the rest of the men start to join them, all taking a seat on the various logs scattered around the fire.
"Lemme guess, knife in the sleeve again?" John muses as he digs through a basket of treats, muffins and cookies and cakes by the looks of it, and the group bursts into laughter. One man, Arthur, leans forward to clasp a hand on Robin's shoulder, grabbing his attention.
"When are you gonna just take the easy way and shoot the people? A quick arrow to the heart while your girl grabs the horse?"
"Or better yet," Tink adds as she takes a seat behind Regina, "Let Regina use a little bit of her magic and just make their heads explode."
The group roars with laughter, and Regina shakes her head, lifting a hand to quiet them. "Hey, if I could explode someone's head, I would, and it would probably be Will's, but you guys know I can't."
"You could throw a fireball at their head," John offers casually, and Regina chuckles dryly.
"Yeah, right. A little wispy fire might be enough to light some kindling up, but it certainly wouldn't do enough damage."
"You don't give yourself enough credit Regina," John says as he turns away from his basket to face her, lifting a hand to place it on her shoulder, giving he a quick squeeze, "You're a badass, own it."
Regina gives him a soft smile in response, a silent thank you, but feels a knot tighten in her gut. These men find her magic to be a bit of a spectacle, something that leaves them in awe whenever she lights a small ball of fire in her palm or disappears in a cloud of smoke to reappear somewhere else, but they do not see what lies beneath, the darkness that is the source of her powers.
She has yet to explain her magic to anyone, not even to Robin, and has brushed it off as a natural ability, something she was born with, but the nervous knot in her stomach only grows with each mention of her blatant lie. They do not know of her connection to Rumplestiltskin, of the darkness that took root in her heart the moment she pulled Snow White off of her horse.
The darkness likes how you taste, Rumple had told her, and he would know, wouldn't he? He could see the poison in her soul, the fire that burned inside her. Her darkness will only grow, crawling under her skin, wrapping around her veins until she is consumed by it, and the idea of slipping into something so dark she can never hope to escape, it terrifies her.
Robin and his men may not be the most honourable of men, murderers and bandits as they are, so Regina knows that they are no strangers to darkness, to doing what's necessary to survive. But she knows the difference between fighting for survival and fighting to fill a darkened void in your soul. Robin may steal to feed his men, may kill when he has to, but that cannot compare to the things Regina has envisioned doing to those who wronged her, the thirst for revenge that has gone unquenched for years.
So she lies. Lies through her teeth whenever Robin tells her she is gifted, special, that her magic is something to be celebrated. And she lies now, gives John a smile when he praises her, pretends to be proud of the blackness of her soul. She let's them be proud her, but dares not tell them the truth of her darkened heart. Robin is different, untouched by magic, what would her darkness do to him? To everyone he loves?
Regina drops her eyes back to her basket, focusing on recounting the various canisters and bags tucked inside. 27 bags of healing herbs, 18 packets of seeds that will come in handy when the seasons begin to change, a few bags of tea, and 3 canisters of fresh spring water. Not bad, but not spectacular by any means.
Then Regina remembers the cloak tucked under her knees, grabs it, and turns around, throwing it at Tink.
She looks startled, holds the rich fabric up in the light as she tilts her head, examining the elegant floral embroidery.
"Red? Really? Not exactly my colour, Regina."
"I know, Green," Regina teases, smiling when Tink gives her a pointed look with a cocked eyebrow. "But it's a good cloak, I already have one, and it looks like we'll be needing all the warmth we can get if Leopold doesn't take down the guards at every exit. We'll be camping here for a while."
"You'd think the guy would figure out you weren't interested after 2 months on the run, 'ey," Will says cheekily, but the joke stings more than it amuses, and Regina frowns, can't help it when she thinks of her husband. She notices Robin shifting uncomfortably beside her, and imagines he's staring daggers into Will when she hears him mutter a quick sorry mate, that was shitty of me.
Tink is still focused on the cloak, eyes narrowed as she runs her fingers along the rich red velvet slowly, each stroke measured. Her brow knits, lip tucked underneath her teeth in the way Regina has come to recognize as a tell when Tink's mind is racing. "What?" Regina asks softly, for Tink's ears only, and scoots closer to her friend.
"Something…" Tink mutters, slowing her fingers and pressing the cloak to her lap. "Something's up with this cloak. It's like… residual magic."
"Magic?" Regina lifts off the ground and moves to sit on the log beside Tink, pulling off one of her gloves and taking the cloak into her hands. The fabric tingles against her fingers, little electric sparks that shoot into her hand. It's a different magic than her own, something more natural, something light, and it pushes at her, makes her skin feel uncomfortable where it touches the cloak. Regina shivers as she drops it, pushing it back onto Tink's lap. Her friend lifts a brow at her, giving her a look that mixes concern and curiosity, but says nothing.
"Whatever it is, I don't think we should be wearing it," Tink says as she wrinkles her nose. She lifts the cloak, holds it out at arm's length, as if the magical fabric is dirty and tainted, before dropping it at her feet. "We should try to sell it, take it to a witch or something. I'd bet it's worth a ton of cash."
Regina hums her agreement, but looks back down at her bare palm, flexing her fingers against the tingling that has only started to subside. The uncomfortable feeling is starting to spread, itching up her arm and across her chest, and no matter how she flexes her fingers, it only grows. It's irritating, makes her want to peel her skin off, and she shudders again, drawing another look from Tink. This time, her friend makes a tsk sound as she reaches up and grabs Regina's chin, turning her face to the side.
"You're covered in blood."
"It's not mine," Regina brushes Tink off, rolling her eyes at the over exaggeration. "Robin thought he'd be cheeky after making a bloody mess, literally."
She notices Robin's head turn in her direction, a playful smile that flashes his dimples at her in the warm glow of the fire, and he stands, brushing his still dirty hands on his pants before walking over to her. "Perhaps we should wash up, darling."
He holds a hand out to her, and she's quick to take it, eager to get up and move in hopes of shaking off whatever magic was on the cloak, and as they walk towards the path that leads to the lake, Regina shoots a look over her shoulder, first at Tink and then at the red cloak at her feet, trying to tell her friend to hide the damn thing until they can get rid of it.
…:.:.:...
The walk to the lake is short, a few minutes from camp at best, but it's still long enough for the silence between Robin and Regina to be awkward. Robin holds her gloved hand the whole way, squeezing his fingers around hers occasionally, and Regina flexes her free hand, relaxing a bit when the tingling finally subsides, fizzling away into nothing. Soon she's left with the chill of the night air nipping at the bare skin, and she breathes a small sigh of relief once she feels normal again.
Robin glances at her several times, worry knitting his brow, but he says nothing, probably unsure of his words, afraid to upset her again tonight, and Regina can't have that, doesn't want him worrying over nothing. Nothing that concerns him, at least.
"I'm fine," Regina says, and Robin lifts a brow at her, as if he wants to say he didn't ask. "I know you're worried, but I'm okay."
"Something's wrong. You seem… off tonight. And I know you're upset about how I killed that girl, but I honestly didn't see the big deal -"
"- Really, Robin." Regina stops walking, tugging Robin to a stop with her, and pulls him close, cupping his cheek with her palm. "I'm okay. It's not about the mess, it's…"
For a moment she wants to tell him, to spill her guts and tell him about the darkness inside of her, the darkness that didn't like being anywhere near that girl's magic. But when she looks up at him, finding so much concern, so much affection, something almost like… love in his eyes, the words get caught in her throat.
She hasn't known him long enough, she can't be certain that he won't turn on her, won't take her right back to the King where he can dispose of his witch of a wife properly. But she knows she can't watch that shift in his eyes, the moment he'll realize that he's been in the company of a monster, that he could be falling in love with a monster, if she were so lucky. She can't lose this, not now, not when he's all she has.
But still, he waits for an answer, so she gives him a half truth.
"I heard what she said about me, the girl, before you killed her. They think I'm the wrong one, that I'm the villain. As if running away from that… that…" Monster. She wants to call him a monster. Though she certainly isn't one to talk, the woman who can rip a heart straight from a chest, who helps her boyfriend slit teenagers' throats in the middle of the night. Well, takes a monster to know a monster, right?
Regina fights the urge to shudder, blames the breeze and not the thought of her husband, and continues. "What am I supposed to do? If the whole kingdom thinks the way that girl thought…" She can't finish, her throat feels too tight, the words too heavy on her heart, but Robin nods his understanding and kisses her brow.
"They don't know what to think, they don't know what happened."
"What happened doesn't matter," Regina spits, her words suddenly like acid. "The King's word is law, and if I'm the one who committed treason, then I'm the one who will pay the price. Besides, there's no law stopping him from doing what he wants with me."
"It doesn't matter what the law says, the King's a right bastard and you're never going back there. I promise Regina, on my very soul, he will never touch you again." Robin is holding her face with both hands, keeping her gaze steady on him, and he has never looked more serious. "Now," he says, leaning back and taking his hands in hers, "I don't want you thinking about him again tonight, alright? Let's go wash up."
He grins at her, and she can't help but smile back, relieved at some of the weight that comes off of her chest whenever he looks at her. They walk the rest of the way hand in hand, until they come to the edge of the lake. It's gorgeous, one of the more beautiful places Regina has ever seen in her life. The water is dark and sparkles in the moonlight, surrounded by rocky mountains and trees taller than castles. It's late now, the moon is high in the sky shining down on the two of them, and the lakeside is empty, perfectly private for a late night bath.
Regina walks to the water's edge, leans down, and dips her finger tips in the water. It's ice cold, and almost stings to touch, but Regina gives a small push of magic and a glowing flash of purple glides across the surface, stretching about 30 feet out into the center of the lake. The water instantly warms, a steaming bath in the middle of the forest, and Regina rises to look back at Robin, who she finds watching her, shirt removed and held in his grasp while he beams at her.
"You're a marvel," he tells her as he walks closer, dropping his shirt on the rocky shore before toeing out of his boots. Her heart jumps in her chest as she watches him reach for the laces of his pants. Her first instinct is to look away, to give him privacy while he strips down to nothing, but as she turns, Robin reaches forward, takes her cheek in his hand again, and turns her back to look into his eyes.
"You're not too bad yourself, thief," Regina says, though it comes out much breathier than she had intended. Robin bites his lip as he grins, and then he's pulling her to him, crashing his lips to hers in a hungry kiss, one she returns immediately. She wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him as close as possible while pressing her chest to his, and she opens her mouth to him when he slides his tongue along the seam of her lips.
She can feel herself lighting up for him, her belly tightening as her core begins to ache, and Robin bends over, wrapping his arms beneath her rear and lifting her up, holding her snug against him, pressing her right on top of the already obvious bulge in his pants.
She loves kissing him, loves the tenderness behind his desperate need to touch her. He's always aware of her body, of how she responds to him, and it always sparks affection inside her, makes her feel like she could love this man until her dying days. It's so different, this love - God she's in love with him, isn't she? - it feels like a distant memory, the ghost of touches that were meant only for her dreams. She couldn't be so lucky to love again, but this man, oh how she loves when he kisses her, when he touches her, how he makes her feel more than she ever thought possible.
He swirls his tongue around hers, and moans into her mouth when she grinds her hips against his.
"I want you," He mutters against her lips, refuses to stop kissing her, and Regina giggles, moving from his mouth to suck hot kisses down the side of his neck. He groans in her ear, and adjusts his hands so he can squeeze her ass while he rocks against her. "You're wearing too many clothes," he whispers, just before she nips at his neck, pulling a quick gasp from his lips.
"You're the one who picked me up," She reminds him, and Robin laughs softly before placing her back on her feet. He undresses her slowly, as he often does, taking his time to enjoy each inch of exposed skin as he removes layer after layer until she's bare before him, and then quickly tugs his own pants off, leaving the clothes in a pile beneath them. He kneels in front of her, peppering her stomach with light, tickling kisses, stops for a moment to swirl his tongue around the small sensitive patch of skin just above her hip that he recently learned makes her gasp, and then picks her up again, wrapping her legs around his hips.
The night air has a bite to it, so Robin wastes no time in walking into the lake, the water perfectly warmed by Regina's magic, and they both hum as Robin moves them further out, covering them up to their chests. She kisses him greedily, tongues tangling and fingers raking through his hair as she tightens her thighs around his hips. The water takes most of her weight off of him, so Robin moves his hands to her hair, tugging her curls from her braid until they can hang down her back, dipping into the water.
Robin slides one hand between them, grasps blindly for her breast, and gives her nipple a soft squeeze, sending a wave of pleasure straight down Regina's spine. She's so sensitive there, and he knows that, loves to play with her breasts, suck at her nipples until she can't contain the moans that fall from her mouth, until she's begging him to fuck her. And tonight is no exception, he breaks their kiss to take her neglected nipple in his mouth, sucking it quickly between his teeth before sliding his tongue along it, twirling around the pebbled bud.
Regina groans loudly, and almost goes to stop herself before she remembers that they are, for once, completely alone. No need to worry about waking any men in a neighbouring tent, or rush through a quick romp before someone finds them. They can take their time, be as loud and wild as they'd like, and the thought has Regina moaning again, grinding her hips against nothing but water in hopes of finding some source of friction.
Robin must notice, because he takes the hand that had been tugging at her nipple and slips it down further, pressing it directly on her clit just as he sucks at her breast a little harder, biting with a little more force. Regina ah's loudly, jaw hanging open as her head tilts back because God it's good, but she wants more, so she grinds against his fingers, circling her hips until she finds a rhythm that has pleasure swirling in her belly.
He keeps up the pressure on her clit a while longer until she's coming undone, babbling nonsense of how good he feels mixed with short bursts of oh God and just like that. On one backwards rock of her hips, Robin slides his hand down further, tucking two fingers into her entrance, pushing inside hard and quick, and the change has Regina clenching around him, gasping out a loud "Oh sh- yes!"
"You're so gorgeous," Robin mutters as he tucks his head into the crook of her neck, sucking at her pulse point while she rides his fingers. He doesn't thrust, but rather lets her rock against him while he rubs inside her, and fuck it's perfect, he's perfect, her clit rubs against his thumb while pleasure radiates through her chest in waves and she can barely even think, just feels, just focuses on not screaming to the heavens when all he has done so far is finger her. But God, he's good at it, he's magic, he must be, because she can't stop the tumbling moans and whimpers that fall out of her. But then he mumbles something against her neck, something that sounds like "Gods you're so wet," and Regina grins despite the clenching of her belly.
"That - aahh - w-would be the lake," Regina says, and Robin almost laughs, makes a choking sound while she pushes down on his fingers harder, chasing the growing tightness low in her belly.
"Is now the time to correct me?" Robin asks, leaning back to look at her face, and she can feel her cheeks flushing red, though she doesn't stop the grinding of her hips, and she doesn't miss the way his gaze bounces from her eyes to her heaving chest.
In one quick motion, Robin pulls his hand away from her, leaving her clenching around nothing, and Regina lets out a sound of displeasure that would be mortifying if Robin weren't grinning at her. But she's desperate, had been so close to her release, and it's all she can think about, especially now that she was denied it.
"Please, don't stop." Regina grabs his face, pulls him into a short, heated kiss, and rocks her hips again, trying to keep the fire inside her from fizzling out. "Please, babe, I'm so close."
"Sorry, love, my arm was cramping," Robin admits sheepishly, and she supposes it was an awkward angle, his hand tucked between their tightly pressed bodies, so she tells him it doesn't matter, reaches between them to grasp his cock, stone hard and waiting for her.
"Just make up for it," Regina breathes into his ear as she lines him up, sinks down onto him, and she bites his earlobe, relishing in the shaky groan that he lets out.
They start almost the same way they had been, with Regina rocking against Robin, but their chests are pressed together now, no limbs slipped between them, so Regina wraps her arms around Robin's shoulders, pulls his lips up to hers. She kisses him slowly, languid meeting of lips to match the rolling of her hips, but Robin has been a little starved for attention at this point, so he grabs her hips and squeezes before he pushes into her harder, taking the lead so he can pump into her.
She gasps, breaks their kiss to let out a throaty moan, and she presses her forehead into his shoulder. He can't exactly go fast, not with the water around them slowing down his thrusts, but he goes hard, only pulling out halfway before pushing back in with as much force as he can, and it's so good, has her crying out and clutching at his hair, at his back, digging her nails into whatever she can grab.
Moments like this, when they're alone, when Regina can be open with Robin, are what she truly loves. She feels free in a way that she can't quite express, has no weight on her chest, no pressure, no expectations, and she can scream her pleasure and push all her love into this man who thinks she's incredible, whose touch is gentle and desperate all at once, who is fucking her senseless because it's what she wants, and the only word that comes to mind is freedom.
Each thrust feels harder, feels deeper, and Regina's spiraling, clenching and moaning and God it's unreal, the angle is unreal, the orgasm building is unreal. Why don't they come here more? God, she has to - ah - has to let him mess up a mission more often if it means he'll fuck her like he's trying to apologize with each pulse of pleasure that his cock gives her.
She feels herself tightening, heat climbing up her chest, and the air hardens in her lungs, leaving her with broken gasps of fuck yes yes yes and aahh! Robin whispers in her ear, his voice strangled as he says how tight she is, how snug she is around him, and she clenches more, just to hear the ragged moan that tears out of him. But she regrets it immediately, because his groan is followed by a sharp "shit" as he sputters, his hips jerking unevenly. He slows as he spills inside of her, and Regina could kill him.
"You're kidding." She leans back, hands planted on his shoulders, and she narrows her eyes at him. He avoids meeting her eye for a moment while he catches his breath, and when he finally looks at her, he is incredibly guilty.
"I'm sorry, I was trying to hold back for you." He knits his brow, pleading with his eyes, and Regina sighs, looking up to the sky in exasperation. She was so close, so so close, and her orgasm slipped right out of her fingers, again.
Irritation flickers up inside her, but Robin is quick to snuff it out. "I'm not done with you yet," he says with a wink, and Regina purses her lips and cocks a brow at him.
"You've deprived me of two orgasms now, I'd certainly hope not."
"I promise to make up for it." He drops a quick kiss on her lips before his eyes lift to her forehead, where he wipes a finger across the cool skin. "You're still a mess. What do you say we wash off so I can finish where I left off?" Regina chews her bottom lip, and she wants to be annoyed with him, but he smiles that flirty smile at her, his dimples peak out at her, and she can't say no to him, not ever. So they both wash off as quickly as possible, removing any dried blood that had been left over, and Robin pulls Regina into his arms and picks her up again, cradling her as he walks out of the lake.
The air stings on her wet skin, and Regina shivers, hugging closer to Robin. Once he steps out of the water he looks around, a bit lost it seems, he hadn't thought his plan through enough, and Regina can't help but laugh at him. She waves her hand, produces a fire and a large pile of blankets and furs just off of the beach, tucked under a tree, before looking back at Robin with a teasing smirk on her lips.
"That would help, yes," Robin says as he walks towards their miniature camp where he lays Regina down on top of the warm blankets.
"What would you do without me," Regina says casually, half rolling her eyes, and Robin shakes his head while he situates himself between her thighs.
"I'd be colder, that's for sure." He grins down at her as he reaches between her legs, running his fingers through her folds before pushing two fingers back inside her, thrusting and curling instantly. Regina's back arches at the sudden pleasure that blooms in her stomach, and she closes her eyes for a moment when Robin continues, "And decidedly less happy." She opens her eyes at that, meets his gaze and finds that look again, the one that screams of pure love and devotion, and something different warms inside her. It pinches at her heart, makes her want to weep with joy, with love, but now was certainly not the time to start crying, so Regina shakes it off, focuses on how Robin's fingers push inside her, urges him to go harder.
He does, picks up the pace too, and it's so good, only makes her want more, so she asks for it, begs him for more between strangled moans. He adds a third finger, pressing up into her while stretching her and oh God, it's better, how could it be better? But her clit aches, demanding attention, and Robin leaves it be. He stays up on his knees, looking down at her while she writhes and trembles. She needs him to touch her more, needs him to rub at her clit, or suck, or lick, anything if she's going to come, but he keeps pushing into her, thrusting his fingers faster and harder and it's impossible to think anything besides God yes harder.
But it's so good, and she's still so wound up she can't be bothered to ask for his mouth, so she just enjoys the waves that pulse through her chest with each push of his fingers, lets every pleasured sound tumble from her lips while she digs her fingers into her own hair.
His palm starts to smack against her clit, and it sends sparks through her core, makes her shout an encouraging yeeesss to urge him on. Suddenly she feels that tightening again, but it's not low in her belly, it's up higher in her chest, it's deeper and different, but better, so much better, and she starts gasping, rocking her hips against his hand to keep the pressure growing.
It's then that Robin finally bends down, taking her clit between his lips and sucking, lapping at her in earnest. It only spreads the pressure in her chest down her arms, reaching her fingertips, and it overwhelms her, pulling every muscle in her body taught until she snaps, screaming and arching into Robin while her orgasm washes over her.
It's intense, and so strong, zings all the way down to her toes, and she screams again when he keeps thrusting his fingers inside her harder and harder right through the orgasm. Her vision blurs, black dots scattered across her view of the starry sky, and she hears Robin cursing while he brings her down from the high, lifting himself up to look at her. He stills, keeps his fingers inside of her for a moment while she gasps for air, and he curses again, a low and long fuuuck.
"I'm glad we weren't in the lake for that," He says, and his voice sounds surprised. Regina tilts her head up, still a little foggy from her orgasm, and Robin lifts his hand for her to see, soaking wet and shining in the light of the fire.
Heat flashes across Regina's cheeks, and her heart jumps a little in her chest, a nervous stuttering as she watches Robin look down at his wet hand. He waits only a moment before wiping his hand off on the blanket and finally he looks at her, and his eyes are full of desire, of pure want, and the tension in her chest loosens.
She's still a little short of breath, her heart still racing, and Robin moves beside her to flop down on the blankets, wrapping his one arm around her tightly.
"That was the sexiest thing I've ever seen," He whispers when he nuzzles his face into her hair, and Regina chokes out a laugh.
"That was embarrassing."
"Not at all," Robin insists, lifting up to look into her eyes. "I didn't know you could do that."
"Neither did I," Regina admits. Truthfully, she doesn't have much experience with orgasms at all, let alone the ones that leave her making a wet mess. "That's… God, I don't even know. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Please." Robin cups her cheek and strokes his thumb along the soft skin there. "I mean it, that was incredible. You don't have to be shy with me. I love watching you like that, lighting up for me. And I've been told that that is a good thing." His eyes dart down her body and back up, and he winks at her, still stroking her cheek in that relaxing way he does when he wants to calm her down. She beams at him, but still rolls her eyes and tells him that yes, it certainly felt like a good thing.
Robin just smiles at her, and presses a gentle kiss to her lips before sitting up and reaching for the blanket beneath her, urging her to lift her hips so he can pull it out from under her. He lays the now damp blanket beside the fire, just below their feet, and comes back to lay down next to Regina.
"We should put our clothes back on," He mutters as he pulls her close, his voice rough and tired.
"We should," Regina agrees, but neither move. They lay tangled together, naked and still a little wet, breathing deeply while they hold each other as close as possible. They'll put clothes on, they will, but first, Regina wants to enjoy this moment with Robin, this moment of freedom beneath the stars.
…:.:.:...
Regina wakes before the sunrise, as she has for all her years as Queen, and opens her eyes slowly, blinking into the soft darkness to see Robin beside her, still deep in sleep while he holds her close. She smiles, lets her eyes fall shut for a moment while she breathes him in, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest against hers.
They shouldn't have slept here, it will surely just bring out comments from the Merry Men once they slip back into camp, but Regina can't find it in herself to regret lying under the cover of a large tree, next to the crystal clear water while Robin held her, keeping her warm throughout the night. Still, they do have to get back, so Regina wiggles out of Robin's grasp, lets his arm fall to the ground beside him, and rises with a stretch, popping her back pleasantly when she twists it.
She reaches for the clothes they hadn't put back on, the outerwear they had been decidedly too warm to wear with the fire beside them and their pile of blankets, and walks down the rocky beach a while, looking for a place where she could wash out any bloodstains without waking Robin.
Regina finds a spot just far enough away that she loses sight of Robin, and kneels next to the water, dipping Robin's cloak into the cool water before working at the blood that caked the worn fabric.
The morning is quiet, too early for any animals to stir the bushes around her or chirp a happy melody, so Regina hums to herself in the silence, looking up to the rising sun from time to time, watching the rays of pink and gold shine over the mountains in the distance, cascading down to the sparkling lake beneath her.
The rustling of rocks behind Regina startles her, and she jumps, turn on the balls of her feet. Two dark figures walk towards her, broad shoulders covered with black metal armour, black boots, black helmets. Members of the Royal Guard.
They walk slowly, though they are far from quiet, and each step closer has Regina's heart pounding harder in her chest. Her back is to the lake, her front facing the two men, and she feels trapped, as if the open land had shrunk on her, encasing her in a cage of trees and water.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" One of the guards says, and Regina can see a malicious grin pulling at his lips as he gets closer, close enough to recognize. They're two knights, Rivers and Clyde. "I'd recognize that face anywhere, your Majesty," Rivers says, a rather sarcastic tone lacing his voice while he gives her a dramatic bow. Regina's stomach rolls at the title, and bile rises in the back of her throat before she swallows it down.
"I don't know…" Clyde steps closer, next to her one side while Rivers comes to the other. They tower over her, and she feels impossibly small, wishes she could shrink into herself further, curl away from their roaming eyes and mocking voices. "She's covered in filth, how can you tell?"
"Alright, maybe not her face, but I'd certainly recognize that ass." Rivers smacks Regina's rear and she jumps, flinching from his touch.
"Don't touch me," She practically hisses at him, and Rivers tuts in response.
"And who's going to stop me? The King isn't here to protect his property, and even if he were, I'd recon he'd throw you to the first man with a reasonable price after he finds you like this." He looks her over, raking his eyes down her body and back up before he can move a strand of hair out of her face. Regina's skin crawls. "Living like a dog, probably being fucked like one too."
"That's enough!" Regina tries to step back, but walks right into the lake, covering her feet in water. Both men laugh, shaking their heads, as if they've never seen someone more pathetic.
"I'm afraid we don't take orders from you. Should we take her back to the King?" Clyde asks, looking to his partner with mock curiosity, and Rivers tilts his head in response, eyes still glued to Regina. Her heart is pounding in her ears, nearly loud enough to block out the sound of the two men chatting to each other casually, as if they were discussing whether to have roast duck or pheasant for dinner.
Robin's words echo in Regina's mind, he will never touch you again, and she feels an itching at her palms, a tingling heat that spreads through her skin, because no, she will not be going back to the King. She'd rather die.
Rivers steps closer still, his chest pressed against her side, and breaths in Regina's ear while his fingers play with the loose curls hanging down her back. "The King can wait. I think I'd like a round with his pretty little whore first. Wouldn't you?"
He digs his fingers into the back of her hair, tugging hard until she bends back, yelping in pain. He pulls her by his handful of hair until her back is flush against his chest, wrapping an arm around her chest, and she can feel his erection pushed into her back. He's strong, and squeezes her tight against him, with no hope of escaping, but the fire under Regina's skin only grows. She inhales deeply, practically growls when she fights against him, and then she closes her eyes, disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.
Both men stagger for a moment, and take several steps in opposite directions, looking for Regina. She reappears just behind Rivers, but unlike him, she's silent in her movements. He's saying something to Clyde, but Regina can only hear the thumping of her heartbeat in her ears. She plunges her hand into his back, right through his ribcage, and grabs his heart. She squeezes before she rips it out, letting him drop to the ground like the lifeless sack he now is.
Clyde is stammering, eyes bouncing between Rivers' dead body and Regina's blood soaked arm. Her fingers still dig into the unbeating organ, blood dripping to her feet while she stares at the petrified knight.
"Y-you're a bloody witch!" He shrieks, his voice cracking while he points at her, arm shaking furiously. "You're a monster!"
Regina's lip twitches, nostrils flaring, and she throws the now crushed heart at Clyde. He panics, screams bloody murder when the heart hits him in the center of his chest. Smacking it away, he drops to the ground, pushing back as fast as he can to get away from Regina. She waves a hand, freezing him, and he screams again, shrieking for her to let him go, that he'll see her burned for this, that the King won't stand for a witch as his Queen.
Regina stalks closer, until she's standing right above him, and leans down, grabbing his face with her blood soaked hand. She pulls him close, until his nose is mere inches away from hers, and his breath his hot on her face, putrid and disgusting, but she ignores it, focusing on the dark joy she feels in finding utter terror in his wide eyes. She lowers her voice, deep and practically growling as she whispers, "You can take that heart to your King, and tell him that his Queen is waiting for him."
She pushes him away from her, forcing his face into the rocky ground where he tucks his head under his arm, trembling like the pathetic excuse of a human that he is, and she disappears in a cloud of purple, stopping to grab Robin before they can return to the camp together.