Ever After ~ {Editing}

Chapter 1

Regina sat on her couch, nursing a glass of her favorite red wine (Grenache, more specifically), and thinking about Robin. Again. How did her mind always end up on him?

She thought of his icy blues eyes, his warm smile, his sexy accent, his strong arms... She loved everything about him, but most of all, she loved his personality.

She loved how he was kind to everyone he met, how he was so caring and loving with his son and with her, how he was always honorable and trustworthy, how he was gently with her yet never once made her feel week, how he still loved and accepted her even when he found out she was infertile, how just his presence could turn her day around or calm her...

She was snapped out of her reverie by the sound of the doorbell echoing through her house. She stood, not ungracefully, and, still holding her now half-empty glass of wine, went to the door. As she opened it, she was surprised to see the very subject of her thoughts standing before her in the half-light given by the moon: Robin Locksley. Immediately, her face softened and brightened as it was overtaken by a smile. Stretching up on her tip-toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, breathing in his scent. Oh, how Regina loved his smell of forest.

"Well, hello to you, too," Robin chuckled, slightly taken aback at the greeting.

"Hey," she said, placing a quick kiss on his lips. She realized it was dark outside when she pulled back, and, upon checking her watch, found that it was nearly 10:30 at night. "Wait, Robin, what are you doing here? It's getting pretty late. Where's Roland? Is something wrong?"

"Relax, milady. Roland is spending the night with his uncle John, and everything is fine. I am here because I have a very important to ask you. You might want to set your glass down though," he reassured her.

"Okay, ask away," she said, placing her glass on the table in the hall by the door.

Robin took a deep breath. Regina noticed he looked nervous, and she wondered why. He knew he could talk to her about anything and everything, and his strange behavior made her a bit uneasy. She saw him slip a black velvet box out of his pocket before he began and wondered, What could that be?

"Regina Mills. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever eyes on, both inside and out. You are stunning in every way. Not only are you quite a sight to behold, but you are also the most loving, caring, and strong woman I have ever met. The world has thrown some very difficult, awful things at you, and you have taken it all in stride with a brave face; from an abusive childhood and a loveless marriage, to be The Evil Queen and gaining redemption from that, you have overcome everything, and I admire you for that. There is not one thing about you that I don't love, and the only thing I want in life is to wake up next to the person I love every morning, and that's you. So," he said, taking a knee, "Regina Marie Mills, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Regina's mind halted for a moment as she stared down at him. Her shaking hands covered her mouth, and it was then she realized that she was crying.

She clasped her hands around Robin's wrists and nodded, mouthing Yes! silently to him, for she could not get the words out through her tears. She dropped onto her knees in front of him as he slipped the ring on her finger, and then wrapped her in a tight hug.

She pulled back and leaned her forehead against his, looking into his eyes and causing the ocean to meet the earth. He pressed a long, loving kiss to her lips. When they broke apart, it was only due to lack of air.

She was engaged to the man of her dreams and she was as happy as could be.

***

Today was the day Regina would marry her soulmate. Needless to say, she was more than a little nervous.