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The glare she focused on Snow White would make a far lesser person look away and fear for her life. After what happened earlier in the woods, Regina knew her stepdaughter was right. She needed protection, but she also knew her stepdaughter had ulterior motives.
"He still smells like forest," she whispered to Snow.
"Doesn't make him any less easy on the eyes," the other woman teased. "Plus, you're missing your son and his son is missing his mother."
Regina cast a sidelong glance at the other woman. "How dare you try to replace Henry?" she hissed.
Snow White grasped her hand. "That's not what I'm doing, Regina. Henry could never be replaced, but you are a mother without a child and that little boy is a child without a mother. I saw you in the forest, when you rescued him, and I've seen you with some of the other children when you thought no one was looking." She gave Regina's hand a squeeze. "And I remember how you were with a certain little girl caught on a runaway horse."
Regina turned her head, gazed at Snow. "First, you remind me of the loss of my son. Then you add salt to the wound by reminding me of the loss of my true love." She arched a brow. "I don't want or need that outlaw and his band of men guarding me."
"I'm sorry, Regina," the other woman replied. "I didn't mean to remind you of your loss, but I do think you and that little boy could be helpful to each other." Snow nodded in the direction of the child. "He keeps looking over here at you then giving that monkey a squeeze."
A quick glance at the child confirmed Snow's words. Regina couldn't help but offer a soft smile and was rewarded with a wide grin from the little boy. He reminds me so much of Henry at that age. And with that thought, she sealed her fate.
***
Each day and night, Regina found herself smiling at the sounds of children echoing in the castle hallways, but even amidst the cacophony of childish yells and giggles, she could detect one little boy's laughter. Without doing anything more than being near her, within the walls, the curly-haired boy had found her weakness. He might not realize her regular walks through the castle were nothing more than an excuse to see him, but his father soon recognized her actions for what they were.
Regina met Robin's gaze each afternoon when she'd find her way to the yard and play with Roland. They never spoke of what she'd said to him when they'd secured the castle, but an understanding developed between them. His little boy became a balm to her soul, even as the similarities between Henry and him caused her pain.
She even pretended to ignore the intent gazes of the boy's father. If she explored that too deeply, she might run and hide. She saw glimpses of the tattoo on his wrist and remembered Tinkerbell's words. Regina focused instead on playing with Roland and entertaining him with simple magic. Knowing how much he enjoyed the animals in the yard, Regina manipulated small gusts of wind and chased leaves around so the kittens and puppies would run after them. She clenched her hands into fists as he laughed; the sound both soothed and saddened her.
Late one afternoon, she noticed Roland's absence in the yard and strained to hear his voice or laughter. Since she hadn't seen his father around, she assumed Robin had taken Roland with him to the forest. The lack of Roland's gleeful laughter left Regina feeling bereft, but she refused to acknowledge that empty, gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach.
That evening, she sat in her room and made a concerted effort to focus on reading a book she'd procured from the castle library earlier. She tried to ignore the sadness she felt. Regina wanted to refute the empty feeling having anything to do with not seeing Roland that afternoon. And she failed miserably at all of it. The curly-haired moppet had wormed his way into her heart, almost as easily as Henry had all those years ago. She sighed and slammed shut the book she held in her hands. "Why waste my time reading and re-reading the same sentence a dozen times over when all I really want to do is wander the castle until I find him?" she murmured to herself.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Regina jumped at the loud noise and rose from her chair.
"Regina!" a male voice called out. The urgency in the tone prompted her to move faster.
She threw open the door and found Robin Hood on the other side, his son bundled up in his arms. Once glance at the thief's face and she knew all was not well with his son. "What is it?"
"He's burning up with fever. It's steadily built through the day and...and I don't know what else I can do." Robin held out Roland to her. "Can you do something? Magic? A spell? Anything. Anything to help him. Please, Your Majesty."
Regina took the child and cradled him to her chest. Heat radiated off his little body. She rushed over to her bed and set the little boy down on the cover. With a snap of her fingers, she produced a sheet of paper, which she folded then offered to Robin. "Two miles from the castle is a stream with a waterfall. On the east side, you'll find the plants I need, the ones listed here. Bring them to me." She waved the paper at him.
He took the paper and started toward the door.
"Be sure you take someone with you," she called after him.
"What?" Robin turned to face her, tilted his head.
"The flying monkeys. Don't go into the woods alone, especially while you're worried about Roland." Her tone softened. "He does not need to lose his father."
Robin offered her a half smile. "Thank you...Regina."
She watched him leave before turning back to the boy on her bed. Using magic, she transported a few bottles of herbal tinctures and a bowl across the room to the table by her bed. Bottle by bottle, she measured out the tinctures then mixed the remedy. Cradling the child to her chest, she fed him the medicine. Regina kept him bundled in blankets and began to sing softly to him. His dark curls were matted to his head, and she smoothed them away from his forehead.
When Roland opened his eyes and looked up at her, Regina felt her breath caught in her chest. "Papa?" he whispered. "Where is Papa?"
"I sent him to get something for me. He'll be back soon, little one." She smiled at Roland. Regina stroked his forehead and her smile widened. His fever was already lower.
The boy nodded then snuggled closer to her.
Tears welled in her eyes. The child's implicit trust in her reminded her so much of Henry. When he fell asleep in her arms, Regina settled him on the bed then lay down beside him, wrapping her body protectively around him. She would let no one and nothing hurt this child. And she ignored the thoughts of concern for his father and not wanting him to feel the same pain of loss she had.
***
"Robin, are you certain we cannot find the plants at a closer location?" Little John asked.
"She specifically referred to the east side of the stream with a waterfall located two miles from the castle, and that's where we're going," Robin replied, his jaw clenched.
Little John stopped, as did the other four men following Robin. He extended his hand. "Let me see the list."
Robin spun to face him. "What?"
"The list." His friend gestured for him to hand him the list. "I know this forest well, and there are no plants around that stream that could not be found elsewhere in this forest."
Robin handed John the paper and folded his arms over his chest. He arched a brow and tapped his foot. When the other man began to chuckle softly, he let out a growl of frustration. "What? What do you find so humorous, Little John?"
"This list. It is a note for you, Robin." Little John smiled. "The Evil Queen knows your soft spot for your son and took advantage of it."
Snatching the note from John's hand, the leader of the Merry Men glared at his friend. He dropped his gaze to the paper. In sloping script, he saw the following words:
Robin,
I am sending you away from the castle on a hunt for supplies I do not need because you are too stressed to be of assistance to me here. In other words, I knew you would only be in my way, and we both know my feelings on that. I hope you are not too angry with me for this ruse, but I needed to be able to concentrate on Roland without you hovering. I knew the walk would not take you too long but just long enough to give me the time I needed to soothe the boy.
Regards,
Regina
He blinked a few times then began to laugh softly. The volume of the laughter built as the men joined him. He sighed then tucked the note away in his shirt. "I think we've gone far enough. Let's return to the castle."
***
Who knew an evil queen had a soft spot for children? The words from one of their earlier encounters echoed in his mind as he stared at the tableau before him. Bundled in what looked to be a down blanket lay his son Roland; curled protectively around him was Regina. In sleep she looked serene and soft. Even if he chose not to admit it, he did enjoy trading barbs with her. Even more than that, he was reluctant to admit that he enjoyed watching her play with Roland. He knew Roland could use a mother's touch, and he'd be hard-pressed to find a good mother like Regina.
The woman occupying his thoughts opened her eyes, and she turned her gaze on him.
Robin smiled and approached the bed. "That was quite the prank you pulled, sending me to a stream two miles away." His smile widened to a grin. "Albeit a necessary one."
"You were getting in my way," she whispered. "And you know how I feel about that." A hint of a smile curved her lips.
He laughed softly. "Oh yes. You have warned me not to do so on more than one occasion." He nodded at the little boy sleeping beside her. "His fever is broken?"
Regina shook her head. "Not completely, but it's much lower." She started to move, and Robin gave a quick shake of his head.
"Stay there. No need to disturb Roland." He crossed the room and grabbed a chair, carrying it over to the bed and setting it down. "I can stay here."
"I," Regina faltered before continuing, "I only thought you might like to stay here with him."
"He needs a mother's touch right now." He offered her a gentle smile as he sat in the chair and nodded in her direction. "You've been stroking his forehead the whole time we've talked. There's no reason to disturb the lad."
Robin watched Regina settle back down beside Roland, draping her arm over the little boy and pressing a kiss to his temple. The pair of them made a lovely picture, and he wished could capture it permanently. Not that I'll ever forget it.