Lost in Neverland - Outlawqueen

7) Sword Fighting

Regina's behavior had hit rock bottom. The ambitious woman loosed the competition. Bu it was not the fact that she just loosed that bothered her. It was the fact that she had to accomplish him a desire. To be honest, she had the sense that he would come up with some stupid idea. The funny feeling he would glory in his victory. He was a thief. Even though he claimed he would help the poor by stealing from the rich, he took what he could get.
As Hook came around to hand everyone a sword, he ripped her out of her thoughts. Sword fighting. Something the former queen detested even more than shooting with bow and arrow. She risked a look at her partner. Robin Hood. Again. She rather liked to train with Hook. Actually she would rather train with Snow or Charming if that meant she did not have to bear the company of the man next to her.
"Are you ready, Milady?" he asked and caught her gaze with his blue eyes. He was handsome, that was out of the question. She liked the way how his dark pupils set apart from the light iris. But that did not change the fact that his presence caused the feeling inside her to push him over a cliff.
"How often do I have to correct you, until you learn it's Your Majesty?" she responded.
Their blades crossed. Metal on metal.
They gazed at each other like a hunter fixed his prey. Like two enemies, they danced around each other. The tension was almost graspable. There was no more teasing, no one said a word. The y were lost in their actions. Regina felt the sweat on her forehead. How adrenalin rushed through her veins and how her heart pumped blood through her body. Her effort was nothing in comparison with her urge to be better than Robin Hood. He beat her in archery. Now it was her turn to win.
His movements were quick, his muscles ran at full speed. They twitched, tensed up. His sword thrusts were more powerful than hers, but her sidesteps were more precise instead.
She knew that her gestures were anything but impeccable. Truth be told, they were horrible. Her attacks were reminiscent of a rabbit on crack.
"Can I ask you something?" he said as there blades crossed once more.
"You just did" she replied.
He smirked. "Yes. But actually I wanted to ask you something else."
"Go ahead."
"Isn't it complicated to share your son with another woman?"
Okay, that was something, she did not have expected. All the pain she stifled during the training crashed into her. Henry. The only one she loved with her whole soul. He meant everything to her. He was everything. She had no one in her life who truly loved her, who she truly loved.
His question caused an overwhelming sadness and anger insider her. Heat suffused her and at the same time she was cold. Her hands began to shake, she had to focus on her weapon so that it did not fall to the ground.
"Yes" was her simple answer.
"I think it's very honorable of you to allow her to see him."
"There is nothing honorable about that" she said with bitterness in her voice. "I do it for him, yes. But mostly I do it for myself. If I would try to keep him away from Emma, I will lose him. And I'm too selfish to let this happen."
Her thoughts wandered to the time, Emma arrived at Storybrooke. Regina had made the attempt to keep her son away from his birth mother. She had lied to him, she had tried to kill Emma. It was the time, she was not Regina, but the Evil Queen. A black heart, a black soul. The unyielding mayor. Regardless on the consequences.
"I understand" he mumbled.
"Oh, do you?" she snapped. "You joined us one day ago. I don't think you know us well enough to understand any of our actions. Of my actions."
"Hey, easy tiger" he replied. "I didn't mean to offend you."
She sighed, knowing she overreacted. Again.
He was a good guy. Always polite, never lost his patience. Furthermore he was the hero for many children. Regina knew the story of the legendary Robin Hood. When Henry was little he loved the fairytale of Robin Hood. But her story? No one would ever love her miserable past, which had left its mark on her. How her mother forced her will on her and how she killed her first love. Daniel. She missed his embraces and his warm brown eyes. His kisses in the stables and his encouraging words.
Her story contained grief, revenge and darkness. There was no happy ending for her. The Evil Queen. The person she tried not to be every day.
"Are you okay?" he asked, lowering his weapon.
She remembered how he comforted her in the night. He had been so caring and gentle with her. In his arms she had almost forgotten she was not the innocent girl anymore.
"I'm fine" she said. "Are you going to stand there and wait or are you going to attack?"
She thrust her feelings aside and concentrated again on her sword.
He opened his mouth to say something but closed it as David made his way to them to check on their skills.
"Robin, you have to control your legs. With every move you move them as well. They never stay on one place" he explained.
"What if I don't move forward or backward?" he asked in his British accent. Although she did not want to admit it, it sounded very sexy. His soft voice, paired with the stress of his words, gave him a certain touch.
"May I?" Emma's father made sure, pointing at the thief's sword.
"Of course." He handed him his weapon.
"Regina, would you attack me?"
"With pleasure" she teased.
"Now look at my feet" he appealed to Robin Hood.
David was a good fighter. The sword was like a longer arm to him. He had it down cold.
"Understood?"
The thief nodded.
"Okay. Regina, with you it's the complete opposite. Your work with your feet is very precise. But you're insecure with your gestures."
Tell me something I don't know, she thought.
"If it's too complicated for you to fight with one hand, take the other as well. And don't take a big swing when your enemy's weapon is right in front of you. In that moment you haul off, your opponent is able to kill you."
She nodded. Whether she liked it or not she knew she needed his advice.
Without saying something else, Snow's husband walked to Little John and Hook.
The evening came sooner as expected. During the whole day, the group tried to improve their fighting skills.
Regina was physically and mentally exhausted. Her muscles hurt and she could not think straight.
She was warm. The jungle was a veritable sauna. Especially if one had nothing else to do than to burn oneself out.
"So, what shall we do tomorrow?" Snow asked as they all sat at the bonfire like one day ago.
"Searching for Henry" Emma answered. She looked at Regina. The blond woman knew about the deal the former queen had made with Pan. That he promised not to move his camp.
"And Roland" Robin Hood added. His blue eyes acted tired and unhappy. Desolate. The shine was gone. There was now desperation and emptiness. He covered his feelings very well, but at the moment the former queen could see the reflection of her frame of mind in his eyes.
"Yes, and Roland" Emma agreed.
"I'm sure the ways are studded with traps" Hook mentioned. He threw some sticks into the light fire. Lambent flames let the wood crackle.
"Of course they are" Regina rolled her eyes. "This is Neverland and not some unicorn world where everybody dances on rainbows."
"Regina" Snow snorted.
"Just saying" the black-haired woman answered. She leant against a tree trunk and pulled her legs to the body. With her forearm she supported herself on her knees.
Hook fished his bottle of rum out of his coat pocket.
"Somebody a drink?" he said to everybody around.
Will took a deep belt. Emma sipped on the bottle.
She wanted to give it to Regina but she refused. "I don't like rum."
"You're weird" Hook teased.
She smiled. "You should be grateful. More for you."
"True" he said and as a proof, he put the bottle on his mouth.

First of all I wanted to thank you all for your votes, comments and for 1k reads. You're amazing!
I'm sorry, it took so long to update but I was on vacation and hadn't much time to write on this story. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter. And if you have any improvement suggestions, tell me :)