The Shadowman and his Queen

Do You Remember the Time

ShadowQueen Ch. 6: Do You Remember the Time

ENCHANTED FOREST: THREE YEARS AFTER REGINA'S MARRIAGE TO LEOPOLD

"Beautiful day isn't it?" he greets slightly startling Regina. "It is, isn't it?" she replies softly, looking intently at the clouds. Hearing her speak makes him melt ever further, her voice is soft and golden, it warms him like the sunshine of the lovely spring day they're experiencing. He stands beside her looking at the tree in silence which he breaks saying "if you don't mind me asking, why are you out here all alone? A beauty such as yourself should be gracing the masses with your presence." She looks at him curiously, which he doesn't see as he still focuses on the flowers of the tree in front of him, he's sweet she thinks and handsome. "The masses aren't missing my presence, trust me, they hardly know I'm here" she answers dejectedly looking back at the clouds. "I noticed, and if you were to get up and leave right now, I'd certainly miss your presence" he says suavely yet in all sincerity. This makes Regina smile a bit but she can't truly take him seriously, she hardly knows him, a fact she makes known "that's very kind of you, however I hardly know you and I doubt you know me."

He sits next to her and takes her hand, kisses it and says "my name is Baron, some call me Barry for short, I'm a prince of the Fusilier Kingdom. Now, if you tell me your name we'll both know one another." She giggles girlishly at that, he is sweet, "I'm Regina, pleased to meet you" "believe me, the pleasure is all mine" he says as he flashes her his pearly white smile, a smile she gives in return. With each thing this beauty does, he becomes more and more smitten, the smile she gives him is enough fuel his happiness for days to come. "Now see there, Regina, we know each other" "yes, we do, don't we?" she says mood brightening a bit. He knows that he doesn't actually know her but he feels like he does. She's like an open book, one that reads of sadness and loneliness, both of which he is hopeful to do away with during this quinquennial and with any luck, after it ends as well. "So, Regina the beautiful, what has you so saddened, if I may ask?" That question is complicated and is it that obvious?

Perhaps it is or maybe he just cared enough to take notice. She knows that she doesn't really know him but it's something about him that makes him... familiar, makes her want to talk to him, makes her feel like she can talk to him, especially since he's offered and cares enough to listen. "You may ask, it's fine, but the answer is quite long and very complicated" she begins, "I have nothing but time to listen" he says looking for her eyes as they are now focused toward her lap. Feeling his eyes on her she looks at him and sees an abundance care and consideration that she hasn't been shown in years reflected in the eyes of this kind stranger, so she begins to tell him everything. "Where do I begin?..." "the beginning is fine, my time and ears are yours" he encourages, "Well, it started right before I..." she thinks about how she is going to word this. Should she be truthful and let him know she's Leopold's new queen and damage and chance she can have at keeping him in her company or should she be completely truthful and hope he'll stay.

After some thought she chooses the truth, "... was married off to my husband of about three years now", this gives Baron a bit of pause 'she's married' he thinks, blast! He sure knows how to pick 'em doesn't he? "You're married?" "Yes... I am", she answers in a deep sigh, 'great now he's going to leave' she chides herself 'knew I should have kept that to myself.' Baron can sense her inner conflict and it slightly angers him, not with her mood but with what has helped to cause it. She may be married but, for all its worth, her husband isn't a very good one if his wife can be so sad and lonely, he thinks and vocalizes. "Well, I don't know who this husband of yours is, and quite frankly I don't care. If you ask me, he isn't worth his snuff if his wife can be so sad and lonely and he's done nothing about it." She is floored by the boldness of his comment, how is it that this stranger can notice and vocalize, upon first glance, what others have seen and ignored for years? She sits in silence for a bit and it moves him to try to clean up his recent comment "I apologize, I shouldn't have said that out loud" "no, it's ok. I'm just... glad I'm not crazy. It's like no one notices or cares to at least" she says with a watery smile. "And who would? It's quite obvious there is no love there."