unhappilyeverafter | The Dark Swan } for alionsheart

The Dark Swan } for alionsheart

It had been an emotionally exhausting day, between facing her sister, travelling by twister, and finding herself in a new land, Regina's glad for the momentary peace and quiet she finds when they're shown to their quarters in King Arthur's castle.

It takes her back, being in a place such as this, so ornate and impressive, everything making a statement about the ownership. It's not that she misses her old life, but perhaps she does miss some of the finery now and then.

Taking in the room, she makes her way towards the dresser, where she sets down Emma Swan's dagger. She looks at it for a long moment before at her reflection in the mirror in front of her. Regina's learnt a lot about herself today, about how she's really seen by the others now. As a hero, and not a villain. Someone who can save Emma. Someone who was no longer dark enough to wield the magic of the wand.

She exhales a deep breath as the weight of the day settles on her, closing her eyes a moment and allowing just a little of that facade to slip. She has to be strong in front of the others, but here, with only Robin present, she has no fear of letting that go. Even Henry and Roland, who are safely housed a room away, can't afford to see her weaken now. This day has been strange and terrifying, for all of them.

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Robin had been hoping when they locked Zelena up and dealt with the Author everything would begin to settle down a bit. But then the darkness took hold of Emma and everything changed quickly again. So much has happened just today and Robin knows Regina has so much on her shoulders right now. She's guarding the dagger that could destroy Emma if it has to come to that - which, he hopes it doesn't. He doesn't know Emma well but he wouldn't ever want that for Emma or the people who love her.

He worries for Regina, too, worries that if Emma loses control and wants the dagger she might try to come after the dagger, and Regina. But they're safe for now and he wants to simply enjoy this quiet and peacefulness.

Thinking only of her, Robin steps forward when they're in their room, cradling her face in his hand, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "How are you feeling, love?"

Regina's broken from her thoughts when Robin approaches her, feeling his hand touch her cheek as she's guided into a gentle kiss. It soothes her from the inside out and she smiles delicately as she settles a hand over his. She's been through situations like this before, with such distress and danger upon them, but never has she faced it with so many on her side.

"Like I'm suddenly responsible for keeping everyone alive," she says, then sighing and shaking her head slightly. She knows she has no right to complain, everyone is worried now, but there's a whole heap of responsibility on Regina's shoulders that she's not used to.

"I'm sorry," she apologises, mainly for directing that attitude at Robin when he didn't deserve it. "It's just.. this is normally where Emma takes charge." She's the Saviour, not Regina. Sure, she's helped, quite a lot in fact. But she's never had this level of responsibility before.

Edited 2015-09-28 22:17 (UTC)

"You don't have to apologize to me, love," he assures her softly, gently tipping her head up to see her eyes. A soft smile plays on his lips and he leans in to press a tender kiss to her forehead. "It has me worried a bit, to be quite honest. This dagger, especially, is a dangerous thing to possess. I know I have no magical powers but..." He holds her gaze, looking so serious. "I'll do anything to protect you."

It's only Robin who can really see the fear behind the attitude, and the soft kiss calms her again, eyes closing briefly as she allows herself a moment to be looked after, reassured. She looks at him again to see his gaze fixed on hers, with a look that's adding weight to his words.

She smiles softly, nodding her head at him, in no doubt that he would do anything less. "I know," she says gently, then adding a little more meaningfully. "And I you." Because if they're honest, it might very well come to that. She has the magic, and the enemies. She's already seen today how likely that makes Robin a target.

He runs his fingers through her hair tenderly, nuzzling and breathing her in. "I hope it doesn't come to that, for either of us." He knows that Zelena threatened him twice today, that even with the cuff on her they aren't free from danger. Zelena is still a threat and now there's Emma the Dark One to contend with.

But they have each other. Always.

"I just need...to be with you, Regina. Just a moment. This moment. I've missed you so damn much." He rarely utters an expletive but it's more than appropriate right now.

It feels like they've barely had a moment together since coming back from New York, always something happening, something that keeps them apart. So, yes, she needs this moment as much as he does, a reprieve in the madness of their lives - even if it is in the middle of Camelot.

She strokes her hand over his cheek soothingly, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips to reassure him as much as herself. They have each other, and for now, for today, they're safe. They're with King Arthur, she has Emma's dagger, and Zelena's powerless. Perhaps they can try and enjoy tonight a little, if Arthur's feasts are as good as legend has it.

"It's okay," she tells him in a soft voice. "We're together now." Even with all that's happened, at least they have that, and their sons too. They're together and they'll look after each other, come what may.

He reaches for her hands now, pressing his forehead to hers. And he just plays with her fingers and strokes her knuckles, breathing her and this moment in. He's so in love with her, kissing her softly again. It's been so long since they could just enjoy each other. Since she rescued him from New York they really haven't had a moment together. Their moonlit walk was even cut short.

But he's determined to enjoy tonight with her.

"Should we change and get ready for this feast?" He smiles, kissing her again. "I confess I'm looking forward to seeing you in that dress."

Regina smiles slowly against his lips, pulling her head back slightly to look at the medieval red dress hanging from the front of the wardrobe. Arthur had given them all a change of clothes to help them feel more comfortable - no doubt finding their fashion as bizarre as she once had.

"Ah, so that's your hurry?" she guesses playfully, looking towards him again with a small grin. She can understand why. It is very beautiful, and from the shape of it she has no doubt it's going to be fitting.

"I do have an ulterior motive, I'm not ashamed to admit," he smirks a little. One of his hands drifts to rest against her hip. But the playful look in his eyes shifts to something a bit more earnest. There's still a smile on his lips, but there's something he wants to tell her, something he needs to tell her.

"When Zelena came to the loft to grab me, she wanted me and Roland both." He tenses a little, but he's not intending for this conversation to darken. "We kissed." He looks a bit sickened by the memory, but presses on. "She made herself look like you, pretending you were there to warn us and keep us safe. I told you - her - that I loved when you worried about me, I thought I was kissing the love of my life but it was her. Regina, I knew instantly." He takes a deep breath, wanting this to sink in because there's been so much turmoil in their lives. "I didn't...I didn't know when I kissed her in New York that she wasn't Marian, but I knew immediately the woman disguised as you wasn't really you. Because I'm so in love with you, because I know what it feels like when you kiss me. I can feel your heart and soul moving in me when we kiss, Regina. It's everything to me."

When Robin begins to speak of Zelena, she senses the shift in topic and her smile softens somewhat. Nodding, to show she's listening, she goes to sit down on the edge of the bed, leading him with her. It's difficult to listen to how Zelena had tricked him, used him, just as she had before. But when Robin tells her that he saw through her glamour, her expression changes and she looks up at him, her eyebrows lifting in gentle surprise.

Robin had already proven before that Marian was no longer his true love, and this does so all over again. Even though it's hard to think of her terrible sister trying to use him for her own gains again, to know their love had been strong enough to beat her brings a smile to her face.

Her hand lifts, setting against his cheek and watching him with so much love in her eyes. She doesn't speak, because it is far more fitting that she moves forward and kisses him again, reminding him of her kiss, and of what he feels when they do.

There had still been a part of him that hated his inability to recognize earlier that something was wrong with Marian in New York. He'd sensed things and questioned her and himself a few times but each time, she'd come back with a reasonable explanation for him at the time. Looking back on it, he can easily see the holes. If he had just followed his instincts, so much of this mess could have been avoided. And yet Regina sits here before him now with love in her heart. He feels more love in this kiss they're sharing now than ever before and he clings to it, deepening it.

The guilt he'd felt dissipated when he'd seen through Zelena's glamour spell immediately. The love he shares with Regina is true. It's lasting. It's forever, and he tells her as much as his hands lift to cradle her face while they kiss. When he breaks the kiss to take a breath, he's smiling and presses his forehead to hers, his thumb stroking over her cheek.

"I love you. My heart is yours, always."

As the kiss breaks, Regina gently sets her forehead to his, calmed by his closeness. Her smile softens at his declaration of love, of which she no longer doubts, not the way she used to. She believes it now, she believes in them.

"I was so scared," she confesses softly, a word she rarely uses to describe herself, but it's the only one fitting. "When Zelena had you, I thought she was going to hurt you.." Her eyes close. She might've been in control of the wand, but nobody could've counted on Robin's safety. "If she had.. I.."

What would she have done? Nothing he would've been proud of, she's sure.

The moment he'd known that was Zelena, he'd wanted to take Roland and run. But as always with that witch, he was powerless. Completely and utterly powerless. It terrifies him when he recalls that she'd specifically told him to grab Roland, too, that she'd wanted them both captive. He couldn't bear anything happening to his son, or Regina or Henry. Thankfully she'd only taken him, but he couldn't even speak, couldn't tell Regina that he wasn't worth the sacrifice. Not that she would have listened anyway, he's sure. If their roles were reversed, he couldn't have done anything else, either. Her life is worth far too much to him.

To hear her say she was scared makes it truly sink in for him, and he can't help nodding because he'd been scared himself. What would she have done? He knows. He's sure he knows, at least, and he doesn't want to make it more painful by asking. There's no point in dredging that up.

Giving her just a quick, soft kiss to soothe her after she's confessed her fear, Robin pulls back again and strokes her hair tenderly.

"I would have done the same," he says, his jaw tensing so that she knows. He's not a violent man without reason but if Regina's life were threatened, all logic would instantly vanish. "But we won't be parted again, my love."

She tells herself it's because of love, not hatred, that she feels such a desire to hurt anyone who hurts him. Because her sister didn't deserve another second chance. She already thrown away the ones she'd given her. And yet now she's here, with them, powerless, but still present, and more of a problem than ever.

She sighs gently, nodding her head and just letting him comfort her. "At least we're together, wherever the hell this is." She knows it's Camelot, but it's not a land she's frequented. On the surface, it doesn't seem too different to the Enchanted Forest, at least, it has magic. That's a comfort, knowing how many dangers were lurking here now, and she had a whole family to protect.

"I'll do everything I can to keep you safe. And Roland. I promise." She can't help but think it's her fault his boy got caught up in this, but she knows Robin would've never have left him behind, just as he wasn't willing for her to go through this alone.

"I know you will, Regina," he says firmly, not hesitating with his words. She came to New York for them, she kept Roland safe in the Enchanted Forest before she'd even known him well. It's her instinct to protect them, he knows that and he's never doubted it. It just worries him that he can't be so sure of his ability to protect her. So much of the danger she faces comes from magical sources, things he can't possibly hope to guard her from. And yet, he knows he would still try if it meant there was even a chance to keep her safe.

"And I you," he swears, taking her hand gently, pressing her palm to his heart, as though the action itself will ensure neither one of them will be parted again. Kissing her again, he smiles against her lips. "Let's enjoy this evening. I'd say we've more than earned it."

A soft smile comes upon her lips, as it so often does under Robin's gentle reassurance. His hope balances out her negativity, and somehow, they meet in the middle. A perfect match.

"I think you're right," she agrees, barely able to remember the last time she and Robin spent an evening together without some occurrence getting in the way. And to think, for a time, she thought she never would again. Her hand squeezes his as she's reminded of that, but it strengthens her and she nods, her smile widening.

"Come on. I think Arthur would appreciate it if we looked the part," she teases gently, getting to her feet and going to look at her new dress.

He squeezes her hand back and then lets go when they move to look at her dress. Robin's been given a nice outfit as well, far dressier than anything he's ever worn. He can't help being filled with joyful anticipation at Regina's reaction to his outfit, hoping she likes the way he looks. Of course, Robin already knows Regina will look utterly stunning in her dress. She's beautiful to him all the time, especially when she first wakes up in the morning and there's a sleepy softness to her. He dreams of that look when he sleeps, dreams of her smile, dreams of her breathing out his name with love in her voice. Everything about her is wonderful to him.

"I know I will certainly appreciate it on you," he grins at her, dimples showing.

Standing in front of her dress, Regina grins shyly at his words, turning to glance back at him with a modesty that's not often seen. Looking back to the dress, she runs a hand along the velvet fabric, admiring the luxury.

"It's been a while since I wore something like this," she admits. "I think I've gotten used to pantsuits, if I'm honest." She doesn't quite feel at home in an opulent dress as she once had, but thankfully this is far simpler than the gowns she had once adorned as Queen.

"You'll be the most beautiful woman in the room, Regina," he smiles, leaning in to whisper the words against her ear, his lips brushing to her cheek before he pulls away to admire the fabric. He can see the appeal in her pantsuits, though; they're far more functional than a dress, easier to move around in, and likely more comfortable. Though this fabric is soft enough to be pleasant to wear, he hopes.

Regina can't help but think he's biased, but it does draw a sweet smile to her face as she glances back at him. She does love it when he says things like that. Things that come from him so easily, but to her mean everything.

"And the luckiest," she tells him, giving him a knowing little look. It's no secret how Regina feels about him now, though she does tend to reserve those professions for when they're alone together. Still, even she can't hide it all the time, and everyone else knows by now just how much love they have for each other.

There's a reciprocal look in his eyes, one of complete understanding. He knows what she's implying there, how happy she is with him. He's not sure, though, that he can ever properly convey how much he loves her, how grateful he is that she hasn't given up on him after the Zelena mess. It's a reminder that they're both two flawed people with pasts and mistakes they aren't proud of, but they fit together perfectly. They complement each other, they make each other better.

"Does being the luckiest woman in the room imply that the man she loves gets not only a special dance this evening but a few extra kisses?" He teases her, wanting to be playful. His heart feels so light with her.

Regina pulls a playful face at his question, as though she needs to really think this one through. Turning away from the wardrobe, she moves that little closer to him, trying not to laugh as she takes his hand and steps nearer.

"Well, we'll have to see about that," she murmurs, coming in close, close enough to kiss him, but not quite. She grins at him, biting gently at her lip as she tries to tame it, but it's hard to hide anything of how she feels around Robin anymore. Her fingers wrap through his and she stands close to him, so easily drawn back to him, content to stand with way for the rest of the evening.

She's glad she gets to attend the ball with Robin, but she also knows she'll be the centre of the attention for most of the evening. They might not get away with being as close as this.

With Regina being the "Savior" everyone has been waiting for, Robin knows he'll probably be vying for her attention, so he's soaking this up while he can right now as well. He doesn't mind at all, though, and seeing others so supportive of her gladdens his heart. His hope is that the more everyone else continues to support her, the more she'll believe in herself. That's hard for her, he knows, but she's working to change that mindset and he's so proud of her, always.

Keeping her close, his thumb plays gently back and forth across her knuckles, thinking for a moment about how adorable she looks like this, biting her lip and teasing him. And he swoops in quickly, closing the gap to kiss her, a smile on his face as he does so.

Regina makes a gentle 'mm!' of surprise when he kisses her again, caught off guard, but soon pressing into the kiss and enjoying it.

She too is glad to make the most of the privacy they have for the moment, bringing her hand up to his cheek and falling into the kiss that little more. It's always so easy to do so, especially when they're alone, that she has to remind herself to come up for air and she looks a little flustered.

"Well, I'd better go and 'Saviour' up," she murmurs, giving him a little look before she smiles and goes to turn away, back to her dress.

"Mm indeed," he smiles as they pull back from one another. Truthfully, he enjoys when he can get her flustered like this. The ever so poised Regina Mills, flustered by a few passionate kisses from him. He loves it. Though, he keeps that thought to himself.

"I'm looking forward to this, love. I'll be waiting for you down there."

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The Dark Swan } for alionsheart

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