The Wrong Princess

5.

As Zelena returned to the castle she quickly got changed into a dress and met her father, Snow and Robin for lunch. She hoped Robin wouldn't expose her because she didn't come to their meeting. She glanced over at Cora and glared slightly at her. She was very mad at her mother for doing all of this and she would probably never forgive her.

Cora rolled her eyes at Zelena and kept eating. She was only doing all of this to make her daughter queen. Zelena would soon learn that all of this was for the best.

After the quiet lunch Cora disappeared to the tower to visit Regina. "Regina! Let down your hair!" She called out.

Regina gasped when she heard her mother's voice. She hadn't expected her today. She was in the middle of drawing a portrait of Robin. The brunette quickly hid the piece of paper and put away her pencil.

"Regina! I don't have all day!" Cora called out again when Regina didn't seem to react to her calling the first time.

"I'm coming!" She called out quickly and went to let her hair down, pulling her mother up. "Hello, Mother" she said softly as she took her hand to help her into the tower.

"What took you so long?" Cora asked a little annoyed and looked pointly at her daughter, taking her long braid into her hands.

Regina gulped a bit at her mother's tone and flinched when she pulled her hair. "I...I was just caught up in a book. I'm sorry, Mother. It won't happen again." She said softly and looked down sadly.

Cora nodded and lifted her chin with her fingers to make her look at her. "Oh don't be so dramatic. It's alright. " she told her and rolled her eyes. Regina was so dramatic all the time. Just like Eva had been. She let go of Regina's chin and her hair and went to sit down in front of the fire place. "Tea?" She asked.

"Oh, of course, Mother." Regina said quickly and went to prepare tea for her mother. She hoped her mother wouldn't figure anything out. She needed to be very careful. No one could know about Robin.

She served her mother the tea and sat down on the floor next to her mother's arm chair.

Cora smiled and took a sip of the tea and then looked down at Regina. "Did you brush your hair? It looks a little messy. " she noted and waved her hand, unraveling Regina's long braid. She grabbed the hairbrush and started brushing Regina's very long hair carefully.

"Thank you, Mother." The brunette said softly and relaxed slightly as her mother did her hair. She had missed these small and simple moments with her mother as her mother barely had the time nowadays.

---------------------------------------------------

Robin walked with Zelena through the castle gardens and sighed deeply. "Zelena? Do you want this? Do you want to marry me?" He asked unsure since he definitely didn't want this. He wanted to chose for himself who he wanted to marry.

Zelena looked at Robin and also sighed. "No, I really don't to be honest. " she admitted and sighed. "Do you?" She asked him curiously.

"No. I also don't want to marry you. I actually love someone else." He admitted and was relieved that Zelena felt the same way about him. It would have been so awkward if she actually had feelings for him.

Zelena was surprised to here that. "Oh really? That's nice. She is lucky then." She told him and smiled.

Robin chuckled. "Trust me. I'm the lucky one. She is perfect. But sadly trapped. I need to find a way to free her. " He admitted and sighed. He needed to get Regina out of that tower.

She frowned. Could he be talking about Regina? It was the only explanation. She needed to stop her cronation and get Regina out of the tower before it was too late. She couldn't let Cora win.

---------------------------------------------------

Regina spent the day with her mother and when her mother was gone she waited for Robin. She continued to work on her portrait of him. She couldn't wait to show him. She was so happy with him and hoped her mother wouldn't find out about him, otherwise everything would be ruined.

"Regina! Let down your hair!" She heard Robin's voice and smiled as she went to let her hair down. She smiled even more when he reached the top.

"Hey" she said softly and smiled brightly at him.

Robin smiled happily when he saw her and hugged her tightly. "Hey. I missed you." He said softly and stroked some hair out of her face.

"I missed you too. " she said softly and looked into his deep blue eyes, getting lost in them everytime. She got out of the hug and went to give him the portrait. "I made this for you." She told him happily.

"Really? Wow. Thank you. You are very talented." He said and kissed her cheek lovingly. He wasn't sure how to tell her that he was actually engaged. It wasn't fair to lie to her but he didn't want to hurt her feelings. He and Zelena needed to stop the wedding somehow.

Regina smiled at him and blushed slightly at his compliment but she could tell something was on his mind. "Is everything alright?" She asked him curiously. She knew something was bothering him.

Robin sighed. "Regina...I...there is something I need to tell you." He said. He knew he couldn't lie anymore. It just wasn't fair to her. "I'm actually a prince. And I'm engaged to a princess." He explained to her.

Regina was shocked and backed away from him. She got teary eyed. "You...you are engaged? When did you plan to tell me?" She asked,  feeling incredibly hurt. Maybe her mother was right. All men lie.

"Regina, I wanted to tell you. Really. But I don't love the princess and she doesn't love me. We both want to stop the wedding. Believe me. I only love you." He told her and also got teary eyed. He never meant to hurt her.

"You...you love me?" She asked softly. She hadn't expected this from him but she loved him too. "I...I love you too." She admitted and leaned in to kiss him. 

Robin smiled and kissed her passionately before he cupped her cheek. "I will stop the wedding and I will get you out of here." He promised her and held her close.