Royal Blood

Chapter Fourteen: Hidden Secrets

Roland laid on her shoulder, sucking his thumb. Regina held him close to her, one arm wrapped around him in protection. "Let's see your finger, sweetheart." Regina whispered, stroking his hair. "Show me so I can wrap it up. Please?" Roland lifted his fingers and wiggled them in her face for her to see. As she looked up to see, her eyes instead met with Robin's as he walked from inside the inn.

"What's wrong?" He asked, voice laced with worry. His attention moved to his son as he clinched to her, fist wrapped with material from her dress.

"Roland cut his finger. I was just coming inside to wrap it." Regina stated, smiling softly in return to a sigh of relief. Robin took the small child, cradling him in his arms. Regina saw the flicker of movement from inside the doorway, the flash of a pair of eyes. It took her longer than expected to see that she was being watched by a shorter woman, one with a scowl plastered on her face.

A sharp wind blew, snapping Regina's spine into a tight lock. "Here," Robin noticed the change in her stature, the quick shiver that gave her away. "Come inside. The men shouldn't be much longer. We can eat something and rest."

***

Bright orange streaked across the sky, almost like the strands of Zelena's hair. It was a beautiful sunset, one Regina knew her sister must be watching, however far away she might be. Regina wondered if her older sister was even still there at the palace or if she had already left. Wondered where she thought Regina had went.

What was the story Leo had decided to tell? Did he have a motive besides gaining all of the things Regina was meant to inherit? Of course, he couldn't do that until they were married. And marriage seemed so far away.

Her mother had always wanted Regina betrothed before her twenties. Had wanted her to be gone, away from sight.

Because you weren't meant to be.

The thought hit her like a brick. But it was true. Zelena was supposed to be the one and only. She was to inherit the throne.

You were a mistake.

It was true. She had been conceived and believed to have been the daughter of a servant. One of a visitor. Not the man she called her father. Not the king of her realm. Her mother was looked down upon but her husband, the man Regina hoped was her father, stepped up. Said she was his. It was a lie. But he loved her. Treated her well.

I wish you weren't here.

Maybe that was it. Maybe Leo worked with her mother so that he could get rid of her. Maybe that was the plan all along. It would've made sense. It would've worked.

A knock at the door pulled Regina from her thoughts, making her wipe the delicate tear from her eye.

"Yes?" She asked, turning from her position on the window sill. A smaller woman stood in the doorway. She was tan, her dark hair to about her elbows. She stood as if she owned the room, or that she'd fight you for it. Her cold hard glare was enough to make Regina start to cry again. "I-I'm sorry have... Have I-"

"No." She barked, "we haven't." She inched closer, arms crossed over her busty chest. "Which is why I'm so intrigued. Robin never- never- brings company. Not since Marian."

His wife, Regina remembered, thinking of the brief conversation she'd had with him about her.

"My sister." Attention was now payed where it was due. Regina looked closely at the woman before her, searching for resemblance to Roland. Anything.