A/N: I don't any rights to Once Upon a Time or Leverage. I am just having fun because this little idea has been bugging me since the season one finale of OUAT. It literally just kept growing and growing in my mind. Enjoy!
A young woman barely in her twenties was wandering through the woods in search of something special for the evening's events. She was on the hunt for something that would go great with red apples. She just had to find that special something she was looking for. Then she found it, a purple plum hanging from a tree not too far off in the distance. It was the perfect thing to go with the evening's dinner.
The feisty brunette skipped her way towards the plum tree with a wide smile on her face. Her brownish-black eyes sparkled with mischief as she took in the size and shape of the tremendous tree. Her soft red lips formed into a pout in realization that the tree's trunk was far too big for her to climb without assistance. So she rubbed her hands together and quickly went to work on unfastening her emerald green overcoat and wrapped it around the tree. She was going to use it as her support to pluck the plums. All she needed was a stone and she would be able to hook her make shift rope on a branch and take her fill of plums.
The young woman found her rock and quickly began twirling the make-shift rope into the air. She tossed it towards the branch, grinning wickedly when it successfully caught on the first try. She gave it a few quick tugs to check if it was sturdy. When she was satisfied, she slowly began the climb towards the branch, unaware of a pair of cerulean blue eyes spying on her in the shadows.
The clever brunette used her brown apron to store the ripened plums and made quick work of her journey to the ground. The owner of the cerulean blue eyes watched this in fascination and took a soft step forward to see what would happen next. He was just about to give away his position while the girl carefully replaced her overcoat and took great care in fixing her appearance when a new voice interrupted the young woman and her watcher's ears.
"Marian," the voice called. Moments later a brunette woman appeared from behind a great oak tree and stood beside the woman with plums. She was only a couple of years older but her black eyes and dark-skinned matched the other woman's so perfectly anyone could tell they were sisters. Plus, the older one had her lips pursed and her hands on her hips in disappointment. If they weren't sisters, they were definitely just as close.
"Where have you been?" she asked, "I've been searching for you everywhere. Father is almost home and Mother wants us cleaned and dinner on the table before he gets there."
Marian rolled her eyes and continued her business of tidying her skirts as if nothing had happened. She made a pointed effort of keeping the plums off the ground and directly into the other woman's face. The owner of the blue eyes was amazed to notice a soft upward tilt of her lips at the obvious aggravation she was causing the other woman.
"Mother shouldn't fret," she finally said, her smile finally showing for the entire world to see, "I was just trying to find something that would complement your apples perfectly, Regina."
Then Marian happily picked one of the plums from her apron and sniffed it. Her face immediately broke out into an image of pure bliss and she quickly raised the apple to her elder's nose.
"Don't they smell divine?" She asked.
She kept her arm perfectly extended towards the older woman and waited. Regina stared at the odd purple fruit for a good six or seven seconds before rolling her eyes and indulging with her companion. The smile on her face and the way her eyes lit up betrayed her true emotions immediately. But that did not sway her from maintaining pretenses if only for a little bit longer.
"You should have informed Mother of your intentions before running off, Marian," Regina scolded politely.
Marian merely pouted playfully at the banter and batted her eyelashes in mock hurt. Regina immediately allowed the façade to fall and grabbed at one of the plums to take another sniff. The two young women giggled and smiled happily at the sweet aroma of the fresh fruit.
"These are going to mix well with the apples from my tree," Regina said. She stared at the plum in her hands as if it were the greatest treasure ever discovered. Apparently she was not one for childish fancies like her companion. Marian was twirling with the aromatic fruit, singing and humming all the while.
"I hope Father brings us good presents like last time," she cheered, "I love my working boots almost as much as you love your steed."
"Working boots," Regina rolled her eyes, a smile on her face despite her superior attitude, "You do realize that Father bought those for you to ride in don't you?"
"Father knows I don't use them for riding," Marian said plainly, "He knows you're the one more suited for horses than I. He knew that before he bought them for me and he knows it still."
"We best get home now and get into proper attire or Mother will have a fit," Regina called.
Marian continued to prance around with her fabulous plums without a care in the world. She was more than highly pleased with her day's adventures and grinning from ear to ear. Her entire demeanor showed nothing but pride and preening at her simple plums.
"Let Mother worry," she said, "I'm having fun."
"I can see that," Regina nodded along, "but playtime is over, sister dear. Now is the time for us to head back home and get ready for supper. Besides we need to wash those plums before we eat them and the way you're going about it means we won't be able to."
"I'm afraid that is not possible, ladies," the owner of the cerulean blue eyes called off. His voice echoed off of the tree branches perfectly to confuse the two women in his location. He smiled at the success and kept himself low and close to the branch supporting him. It was his flair for the dramatic that always made kept him coming back to this very location.
The two women immediately rushed towards each other in fear. Regina made herself as big as can be to distract the person belonging to the voice from her sister. Marian did her part by keeping the plums safe and readying one for attack.
"Who are you?" Regina demanded, "Show yourself!" Her voice held nothing but command and the expectation of obedience. It was obvious that she was ready to fight whoever came towards her. Marian was well protected behind the older woman. That was obviously part of the plan.
"I don't take orders from thieves," the voice of the cerulean blue eyes replied.
Regina just scowled at the answer and crossed her arms in disgust. Her eyes were peeled in search of the intruder. She just needed him to speak once more and she would discover it. Marian, on the hand, had plans of her own. She delicately came out from behind her sister and stared up towards the trees. There was determination on her face and bravery shining in her eyes.
"Please, sir," she said voice as soft and sweet as rain falling from the heavens, "We're just two maids on our way home. We don't want any trouble."
"Marian," Regina hissed pulling the girl towards her and trying to push her behind her, "Get behind me and stay quiet."
"But it's trouble you will have if you leave the forest with those plums," the voice called out again. There was amusement twinkling in his blue eyes at the way the two girls were treating him.
"What's wrong with the plums?" Marian questioned immediately earning a glare from her big sister at the innocent way she asked the question.
"Just drop them so we can go," Regina begged softly. Her eyes were darting throughout the forest looking for the source of the weird voice speaking to them.
"Please," Marian continued, ignoring her sister with practiced ease, "Will you show yourself to us so we may know if you're a friend or a foe? For all we know you could be telling us a wild story just to get us to run off and leave you the plums for yourself."
There was a rustle of branches and leaves from a tree only a few paces away from the very plum tree in question. The two girls squeezed together and waited as the leaves and branches continued to creak and moan. Then a single boot appeared on the top most branch of the great oak. It was black, shiny and detail with snakes and a silver buckle. The black boot disappeared behind a bundle of green leaves until the creaking became too loud to bear. Then the branch began to swoop down upon the ground forcing the women to turn around and protect their faces. When they looked back a man their age appeared wearing a cloak of leaves and ivy.
The man stood to his full height and smiled at the women. His bright blue eyes were the first thing both noticed, as was his black hair and chiseled physique. Besides his cloak of green leaves and ivy he wore thick black leather boots with snakes carved into their hides. His trousers were a dark forest green and wrapped tightly around each and every muscle of his legs. His shirt was dark green as well but his belt of tools upon his waist was made of brown and filled with pelts. His fest was also brown and looked to be made of high quality deer hide, it could have even been made of rabbit or bear the fur looked so soft and luscious. His face was smudged with dirt, there were twigs in his hair and there even seemed to be leaves, worms and nests covering the patches of his clothes not covered in mud.
"Who are you?" Regina demanded, scowling all the while. Her hands were once again on her hips and she looked highly unimpressed with the grand entrance the man before her had given. Marian, on the hand was smiling with excitement and on the verge of clapping in a grand applause. Though Regina did have her a safe distance behind her.
"Names are of no importance," the blue eyed man replied a gentle smile filling his features. His legs grandly parted as he made a great show of bowing for the two women.
"But I am afraid that you will not be allowed to leave with those stolen plums, ladies," he finished. Then he righted himself to his full height again, taking a threatening step forward all the while.
"These plums weren't stolen," Marian cried. Her happy face immediately turned into a scowl at the statement of theft. Her black eyes flashed with anger at the accusation. Her cheeks immediately flushed red and her welcoming stance turned dark in preparation of a fight.
"I found them fair and square," she said, "I climbed and plucked them from that very tree myself."
"Ah, you see she admits to the crime," the man smiled, "Great. Now hand over those plums and you are free to go about on your merry little way."
"Hold on," Regina called off before her sister could even put in a word of discontent, "My sister admitting to no such crime. She found those plums and did the work for them. The crime committed here is you trying to scam them from us."
"And poorly too," Marian agreed. She stood behind her sister with pointed hatred in her eyes. That hated was pointed solely upon the man demanding her well-earned plums.
"Just move out of our way and we'll forget to report you to the local sheriff," Regina replied. She was waving her left hand in a dismissive manner, demanding him to leave her presence as quickly as possible. It was as if she were of noble birth, a flaw if they expected to get out of their situation unscathed.
"Ordinarily I would agree with you but you are in the wrong," he said. Successfully blocking off any form of escape they had once had. "You see that tree there belongs to a Giant and it is my job to protect that tree at all costs. You two were not given permission by my master, the Giant and as such you are not allowed to leave with those plums."
"A giant?" Regina scoffed at the very notion. Her sister was just as unconvinced if the roll of her dark black eyes had anything to say about it. "There is no giant in these parts."
"OH, I assure you there is," the man winked towards the pair, "He lives not too far from here. He's also very touchy about thieves so I suggest you leave those here with me."
"You expect us to believe you?" Marian laughed. She shook her head and made a huge show of protectively hanging onto her apron full of plums.
"We're not that naïve, sir," Regina snarled in reply. She and Marian quickly exchanged a look and made their way towards the opening to the trail to return the way they came from.
The blue eyed man rolled his eyes and immediately got in their way.
"Unless you guys are willing to pay for those plums I cannot let you leave," he replied. His smile was gone and he was taking on a very possessive demeanor. If it had been towards anybody else he would have won his battle but the young man knew nothing of his opponents. He had yet to realize what he was truly dealing with when it came to the pair of siblings.
"Listen," Regina said towards him. Her voice was full of mocking and clearly at the end of her patience. "You obviously have no idea who you are dealing with so I would suggest you stop antagonizing us now or you will suffer the consequences for your actions."
"I'm sorry but you have to pay," the man repeated. Then his eyes wandered towards the younger of the pair. He raked those blue eyes up and down her body and smiled serenely. "If you do not have coin I'm sure I can think of something. Your sister is a pretty bauble after all."
Marian's lips grew terse at the insinuation of such ungentlemanly behavior. She gently tucked the plums into her aprons and quickly stepped into his personal space with venom in her eyes. Her right hand torpedoed out of nowhere and hit him squarely in the jaw without even a moment of hesitation. He was on the ground in moments after such a blasphemous statement.
"How dare you?" She snarled, "I earned these plums fair and square and I will not have you speak to me in such a disrespectful manner. I suggest you flee these premises before King Leopold hears of this affair. Your image will be plastered throughout the kingdom with a handsome reward towards whoever brings me your head on a silver platter!"
"That's enough, Marian," Regina said intervening before her sister could take another iron blow upon the man's head. Then she looked at the downed man in scorn, "Consider yourself lucky, my good sir. My sister usually does not usually allow the man to get up afterwards. We will let your little squirmish here slide because of it. Come Marian."
"Please, my lady," the man groveled towards them. His face was barely above the ground his left eye was already swelling from such a feat. Regina immediately stopped in her tracks at his pathetic sound. Her sister soon followed with less concern for the man's well-being and more in confusion of her sister's failure to continue as if nothing had happened.
"Please," the man repeated, "my master, the Giant will punish me severely if you do not return those plums from where they came."
"You deserve to beaten for your careless consideration of how a lady should be treated," Marian replied. Her scowl merely deepened and her grip on the plums tightened. Her sister however seemed to be more inclined to listen to his story.
"It is my head he will take, my lady," the man cried out sadly, "You see I owe the Giant a great debt for a mistake I made in my youth. I had stolen a harp from his brother, my lady. I merely did it to free her and my master the Giant's brother died during our escape. It is my punishment and pride to look after his cherished plums for all eternity in payment for the wrong I have caused him. Should even one plum leave the general area of his garden it will be my head on his platter."
"A likely story," Marian rolled her eyes, "Come Regina. Clearly this man is a story teller just trying to gain sympathy so he may cash in on my hard work."
The young woman made to leave again but was stopped by the wave of her sister's hand. She looked towards her big sister in confusion. Regina kept her face perfectly blank of emotion but it was obvious she had been at least a little swayed by the tale.
"You found a harp?" She questioned softly.
"To be fair," my lady," he said, "I thought she was my true love."
"She?" Marian snorted; her eyes were black as coal at the fire burning within them. The apron of plums was now at her chest and she was looking at her sister in betrayal. She knew what was coming next and the man had to fight every impulse within him not to smile in triumph.
"The golden harp, my lady," he finished. His blue eyes were now boring their way into the older woman's soul. He knew she was the one who would decide his fate. She was the one who held all the answer after all.
"Give him the plums, Marian," Regina cried. Her voice was filled to the brim with a sense of longing. There was pure sorrow in her voice and her black eyes turned chocolate as the softness enveloped them. Then they grew wet with unshed tears.
"But Regina," Marian began to argue profusely. The anger and betrayal were obvious for anybody to ear, but only the trained ears could detect the slightest hint of concern. She was worried about her sister all of a sudden, why?
"Just do it, Marian," Regina ordered sharply. Her voice cracked like a whip upon her sister and her glare was twice as deadly. "I will not have this man's head on my conscious," she finished watching her sister like a hawk all the while. She was waiting for her orders to be obeyed. There was no doubt what so ever that they would be.
Marian bowed her head in defeat and immediately carried her apron of plums to the bent man. She delicately removed the apron from her waist and set the forbidden fruits down as gently as possible. She curtsied respectfully as if it had been her idea all along. Then her black eyes turned towards him with such hatred it was as if a creature were standing there instead of a woman.
"I hope you enjoy these scrumptious fruits, good sir," she said each word barely pouring from her locked together teeth. Then she lifted her nose high into the air and began her journey home without another look back. She even gave a scornful glare to her sister before leaving the wooded area, quite possibly for good.
"Enjoy your plums, good sir," Regina scowled towards the man on the ground, "For they have cost my sister her happiness and as such you will be paying that debt when the time comes and I see it fit."
"I understand, my lady," the man nodded at the order. He was internally smiling at the fact that they didn't know his name. He was going to get out of this unscathed.
"Your name, sir," Regina ordered briskly. Her voice was so full of hatred and anger that there was no doubt she would be obeyed. There was something more to it as well. It was as if she was dead inside. She sounded so hollow. It was highly disturbing to say the least.
"Jack," he replied immediately, "Jack of the Beanstalk as my master wishes to call me, my lady."
"Well, Jack of the Beanstalk," Regina replied, her scowl deepened at the way the man refused to grovel before her, "Expect a new debt to be paid when you are finished paying off this one."
"Yes, my lady," he replied. Then he looked up and they were gone.