A few days after their impromptu tour of the castle, Regina's parents returned. It was two days before the wedding, just in time for them to attend the rehearsal. Both of her parents were participating in the wedding. Henry, of course, was walking her down the aisle, and Cora was the matron of honor.
That day, Robin did not see Regina at all, as the wedding rehearsal and banquet took the entire afternoon and spanned both the midday and evening meals, and he was elsewhere, preparing for the deluge of wedding guests that were expected to descend on the castle the next day.
The following day, he brought her midday meal to her chambers as usual, and was surprised when it wasn't her voice that invited him in, but a harsher voice that belonged to her mother.
"Lady Cora," he began respectfully, "I didn't realize you'd be joining the princess today. Shall I bring more food?"
Regina rushed to answer, as Cora turned to survey the food he had laid out.
"No, Robin that won't be necessary." Turning to her mother, she added tentatively, "there's enough for both of us, mother, they always give me more than enough."
"Indeed," Cora agreed sharply, "and have you thought to tell them to stop sending so much food? No, of course not. Honestly, Regina, you'll never amount to anything as queen if you can even give simple commands to your own servants."
"I've been busy, mother. It slipped my mind." No, she hasn't, thought Robin, but knew better than to interrupt.
"Nonetheless," said Cora, turning to Robin, "young man, inform the kitchen that my daughter only needs half this much food at her meals."
"Of course, Lady Cora." He noded at her, and turned to leave. "My lady," he nodded at Regina on his way out the door.
"Wait!" Cora's voice sounded behind him, and he turned to see her with a frighteningly intense expression on her face, and Regina beside her, doing her best not to cringe.
"This is how you address my daughter!? Show some respect! In a few short days, she's going to be your queen! It's, 'your majesty' when addressing her, and I'll thank you to use it."
"Mother…" Regina began, but her mother cut her off. "No, Regina, you are going to be queen. You can't just let people walk all over you like this. Do you have anything to say for yourself, young man?!"
"I assure you, Lady Cora, I am perfectly aware of your daughter's status. However, as I'm sure you know, the title of 'your majesty' is reserved for members of the royal family, to which she does not yet belong. Once she is queen, I– and everyone– will use the proper title. Until then, I've been assured that 'my lady' is an acceptable forms of address." That was a white lie. He had been told only that she was a princess from another kingdom, but since she hadn't objected to his continuing to call her 'my lady,' he assumed that she didn't have a problem with the title.
Cora paused, momentarily speechless in her outrage. Regina took the opportunity to dismiss him from the room before her mother could say anything else.
As he left, he heard Cora's voice, admonishing her daughter for dismissing him, and wondering aloud how someone so 'impertinent' had ended up as Regina's valet. Before their voices faded completely, he heard Regina begin to explain the circumstances, and he was surprised by how disappointed he felt at the reminder that once she was wed he would no longer get to see her every day.
The next day, he brought her midday meal - with half as much food as usual - to her chambers, and knocked on her door with some trepidation. He hadn't seen her at all yesterday afternoon, as she had joined her parents in their guest rooms for the evening meal, which her parents' staff had handled.
