Spinning Shoes
Splash. Water hit the earth. A new wheat crop ready to be grown, harvested, and ground in the mill. Warm afternoon sun hit my back as I walked to the nearby well to fill the bucket. Hoofbeats sounded.
"Noblemen? Have you come here to view my crop?" Father, always saying the wrong things, forgetting the proper greetings.
"We are merely here to see all the maidens in my humble kingdom," spoke one of the strangers, wearing a feathered red hat and regal scarlet attire.
"Y-your Majesty! King Lucien!" My father bowed deeply as I quickly ran over with the bucket full of water. More hoofbeats sounded as an older man, equally dressed in noble attire, rode up beside his companion. The two seemed completely different, Lucien cheerful, the other noble's lip curling with disgust.
"I am sorry to bother you, miller," spoke the second noble. "It seems our royal highness wishes to spoil his own line with peasant girls."
"Midas, my friend!" Lucien chuckled. "Always stuck in the old ways. The future queen of the neighboring kingdom is of common class!"
"Lowest of the nobility," returned Midas. "And I choose to go by Lord Aurum."
"Well, Midas Aurum, your beliefs may not always be as good as gold!" Aurum scowled. "And who is this?"
My head raised to face Lucien. He looked different in simpler garb, without the jewels. More relaxed. His curling red beard seemed comical next to his twinkling blue eyes.
"Daniella, sir," I said, straightening.
"Tell me Daniella, do you have any talents?"
"Why, yes she does!" Father spoke frantically. "My daughter can- my daughter can spin straw into gold!"
"Father!" I gasped. Aurum smirked.
"Spin straw into gold, eh?" he muttered. "What do you say, Lucien? Should we put this to the test? It will be for the good of the people, after all."
"If you say so," replied Lucien, interested.
"Well then!" Aurum said firmly, "I believe we have come to a decision! Either Daniella spends three days spinning straw into gold, or she will have to face the death penalty."
My eyes bulged, as did Father's. Lucien pulled me up onto his horse as Aurum and Father did the same.
"I hope Midas is joking," said Lucien as we rode. "I haven't seen him in a while, and there have been rumors. The idea of him swapping the ability to shape-shift for his own humanity. I never listen to them, of course..."
We reached the castle by nightfall, hitching up the horses at the stables before going separate ways. Aurum guided Father inside the castle before slipping out of sight, while Lucien accompanied me into a small straw house behind it. The door of the house was flanked by two guards.
"The hay cart will be here in a few moments," said Lucien gently. "Try not to take this too seriously." He turned, the wooden door closing behind him. It was dark, silent, and cold. I sat down, hugging myself. Then there was grunting. The squeaking of wheels.
"Heaviest bunch of hay I've ever had to carry," said a gruff voice as a large hand opened the door. An equally large man in a brown hat and green tunic emptied the wagon's contents into a corner. It may have been my ears, but I could have sworn I heard a soft thud, the clunk of wood against wood. The hay man left, the squeak of his cart dying away. Then there was a pause. A faint rustle. Then it got louder. I swiveled to face hands, long, thin, bony hands emerging from the straw, as small as a child's. A head followed as one hand came back into the straw. A carved walking stick emerged, parting the hay to reveal an impish figure.
I stared at the creature. A man, perhaps, with his long tousled grey hair. However, he was very small, about four feet, and pointed ears protruded from his head. He wasn't human. An imp, perhaps.
"Word gets around fast around here, doesn't it?" he chortled. "I can do it, you know."
"Do what?" I lowered my eyebrows.
"Spin straw into gold!" the imp replied gleefully. "We'll make a deal. I won't work without a valuable price. So, what do you say?"
"I think I saw a spinning wheel over there," I pointed. "My name's Daniella."
"The deal's settled." The imp limped over to the wheel. "The price first."
The price. Something valuable. My locket, perhaps. It seemed more like middle-class jewelry, and it contained memories, most of them before my time, and for the ones in mine, I couldn't remember much.
"I can give you my locket. It's a little fancy and it belonged to my mother." I hated seeing the chain drop into the claw-like hand, but he did seem like the lesser of two evils. The imp got to work. Hours passed and the rhythmic clunking sounds of the spinning wheel continued. My eyes were closed by the time the work ended, but I could have sworn I heard, right before the door shut, "I'll see you soon, Daniella. It's been an honor doing business."
Time passed. I kept my ears open, hearing the news about the royal families in each castle. I was waiting to hear of news of engagement. Lucien's engagement. If he and Daniella tied the knot, the engagement ring would be mine. Finally, on February 27, the news came. Then came even more shocking news. Right after her engagement, Daniella was stuck once again in the straw house. That night, on the 28th, I saw something small and gold darting around. Curious, but careful. I knew this to be a pre-formed imp, like myself. Something that needed a living body to grow. I snatched it up.
"The third gift," I whispered. Nine months would be worth the wait. I just had to drop the imp into Daniella. I stuffed it inside one of the many pockets in my cloak. Then came the familiar squeaking of the hay cart. The servant let go of it as he darted into the bushes. I scrambled into the hay. 6:30 bathroom break, right on schedule. I found a peephole and peered through. The cart rolled towards the castle, towards the straw house, and the two guards by the door.
"Heavy again, is it?" laughed one of the guards. "I wish I could have some of that once Daniella's finished."
"You may leave your post," said the second guard. "I will personally guard this place." Formal manner. Unusual for a guard of his position. The servant opened the door, rolled the cart in, and dropped the hay and me onto the floor. The wagon squeaked away. I crawled out, grabbing my walking stick. There was Daniella.
"Hello, there," I spoke calmly, "It's nice to see you again. The price?" She winced and dropped the ring into my palm. At least she had her wedding band to look forward to. I got to work. By 11:00, my job was finished. Well, almost finished. I stuck my hand into my pocket. The imp drifted out.
"There," I gestured to Daniella. "Right in there. You'll see me again, now, both of you." The imp slipped inside her with a flash of gold light where it hit. I slowly opened the door. The guard was gone, just like always. Only a courtier walking around. I sprinted off as fast as I could. Even so, while I was running, I thought I heard the courtier speak.
"A way to prove my ways at last. If he insists to keep his so-called heir, then I will seek drastic measures."
Time passed. The months. I couldn't get those words out of my head. Had that courtier seen me? Overheard me? I didn't think so. I still heard the news about the kingdom. Lord Aurum, one of Lucien's courtiers, seemed stressed. Of what I had heard, he had been muttering words like "imp," "royalty," "peasant," and "bastard." I had to tread carefully. Lucien had wed Daniella. Aurum was unable to attend due to the birth ceremony of a step-relative. I excused it due to being for the neighboring princess named Magnolia. Six months later, the queen had a baby boy on All Hallow's Eve-October 31. A very unusual baby boy. Mostly resembling Daniella, but with pointed ears and brown hair. New words were being added to Aurum's stress vocabulary. The next night, the servant came by with the hay cart. I climbed in while he took care of business.
"Price three," I said when I was with Daniella in the straw house. "Hand him over." I was deadpan. I deserved him. Still, Daniella jerked up as though burned by fire.
"Never!" she cried. This was going to be harder than I thought.
"How about this?" I said quietly. "Six days until the birth ceremony. I will give you half of that time to figure out my name."
"Deal," she quivered. After I was done spinning, I slowly opened the door. The courtier wasn't there. Or at least, I didn't see him. Three more days in the straw house. In a row. That's what Daniella had asked Lucien for the next morning. It was a way for me to sneak in. The first night, she gave various common names. The second night, she gave more formal names.
"She would never get my name right, ever!" I crowed after I darted into the forest. "Of all the various names to guess, would she ever think of Rumplestiltskin?" A faint rustling. Something that sounded like clothing. I tried to act nonchalant, but the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. The third night.
"Is it Goliath?"
"Of course not," I snorted with indignation.
"Is it Crookshanks?"
"No, it is not!" I exclaimed in a catty manner. Really, now?
"Then a little bird told me it must be Rumplestiltskin." A little bird, eh? More like a spying hawk named Aurum. Daniella showed me the door. Well, I still had one last chance. No one would notice an imp at a packed royal birth ceremony.
"Excuse me! Excuse me, ladies! I'm coming through!" Three days later, my hope that no one would notice me at the ceremony was correct. Even better, though, was the news that Lord Aurum would not be attending.
"Oh. Excuse me, but could you just flank me until we get inside? Pretend I'm not even there." Twelve fairies, tall and beautiful, parted to let me in. Six on each side, we easily passed the guards. One guard watched us leave before trading his post with another. He snuck out of sight. As soon as we walked in, I shoved past their transparent white wings into a curtain. Once they had given their gifts, the chatter would come, as would my opportunity. A trumpet blared near my ear. Standing beside the curtain to the right of the door was a man bearing a horn and a list. The announcer.
"And the first guest comes! The Duchess Festa Jovial, who has to first take care of a trivial matter." I heard some muttering in the crowds.
"Not yet, Grace, you'll have time to chat with him after the ceremony."
The announcer's voice returned.
"She's taken care of the matter, and has come forward with the gift- oh, it looks like a teddy bear. Isn't that sweet?" Giggles through the crowd. Noble guest after noble guest. The fairies were always at the end. Then the official naming. The only time something like that happened again were at the coming of age and coronation ceremonies, where permanent titles were put on. There were consistent chuckles as the announcer continued on and on. I kept half an ear open.
"And finally, the guests we have all been waiting for." The fairies swept towards the elegant bassinet. The gifts came. Beauty, song, strength, intelligence, intuition, bravery, kindness, loyalty, resourcefulness, arts, humor, and curiosity. I readied myself, balling my fists. Then a loud, discordant squeal from the horn jolted me. There was a low, anxious murmur. Lord Aurum was standing in the hall.
"Aurum," spoke Lucien, "I thought you declined my invitation."
"So I did," he replied slowly. "I just thought I'd deliver a gift to your loving son." There was a whine from the bassinet. The hall was silent except for his cold, empty, echoing footsteps towards it. Aurum lifted its cover.
"Look at that little thing. A bit smaller than he should be, those ears, and those fingers. Very...useful looking. With that gift of loyalty, with his father's abilities... it shall be quite ironic." I stiffened.
"On the day of his coming of age," Aurum continued, "the prince shall prick his finger and DIE! " The muttering returned, louder and more frightened than before. I was racking my brains. I could alter the curse, change a piece. That way, I could hopefully receive the prince without getting my hands dirty. However, there were cons. My action would put me even deeper into conflict with Aurum. He was still standing by the bassinet.
"Not so sweet sixteen." He turned on heels and strode back out. As he reached the curtain, he turned, staring deep into my eyes. Then he smirked and went on. I waited until his footsteps died away. I would not let him overhear me take this risk. I took a deep breath and pushed the curtains back. Voices rose. Daniella was whispering to Lucien. Eyes darting back and forth. I came over slowly until I reached the bassinet, pushing the cover back. I caught the eyes of the tiny life in front of me. And I felt pain, a pain I had never felt. It was as if something had broken, some barrier deep inside. Burns, aches, heat, I had it all. It was just me and this life. I had lit a candle that would be snuffed out too soon. A different voice rose from me, one I had never heard before. Shaky, but it was slow. Was this caring? Was I changing?
"I cannot break this curse, but I can alter it." Something filled my throat, tried to push out of my eyes.
"On...on your sixteenth birthday, when you prick yourself, you won't die." my voice faltered. This was the greatest risk I had ever had to take.
"You'll only sleep until the kiss of true...love." Was that it? Did love break the barrier inside my heart? I looked around for the first time. The murmurs had subsided some.
"Who is that?" the announcer whispered to the Duchess.
"Will the baby be all right?" a blond woman with swept up hair sobbed into a man's shoulder. The neighboring rulers.
Daniella's eyes were wide open. I wondered if I looked the same, in some place that wasn't filled by shock, pain, and love. I, Rumplestiltskin, had undergone one of the greatest changes of all time. I bowed my head.
"I-I-" Her lip quivered. The deal was gone.
"I'd like you to take him." My body froze. "At least until sundown on his sixteenth birthday. Affairs like these can be belated, you know." I had won. I had received every price, but not without a price myself. Daniella slowly handed me the child, his tiny arms reaching out to me.
"Swiftfingers," I whispered. "Swift for short. All right?" Swift gurgled. I touched one of his ears. Human size, but with a point. I turned back to Daniella.
"We'll write to each other." Time passed.
"Mother!" I wailed. Why? Why? WHY?
"Because it's for your own good," my mother replied, acting like the boss. "Learning about the lower classes will make you a better ruler. They really must have provided this before your ceremony in April." April 19. My coming of age. I, Crown Princess Magnolia, was going to become a peasant. Work her butt off just like mommy did when she was my age.
"But I don't want to! You worked in your stepmother's mansion! And me? I get to work in a tiny hut belonging to a total stranger?"
"He is a friend of a friend. Queen Daniella suggested him to me." Neighboring kingdoms. The rulers always have to hang out together.
"Is he the guy whose house acts as a boundary between the castles?"
"Yes."
"Do I have to go there on foot?"
"Yes."
"Can I bring Groal with me?" My mixed breed dog stuck his head out from under my frilly pink skirts.
"Yes," said my mother for the third time.
"How long will I stay there?"
"Until the end of October, around All Hallow's Eve."
"When will I go there?"
"Tomorrow." Mother. And she said she knew torture.
"How did Father feel when you asked him?"
Mother's eyes narrowed. On the outside, we were exactly alike, besides a few age differences and hair length, but on the inside, we were much different. I liked pretty, fancy, things, while she preferred things that were plain and dull. Her common past rearing its ugly head. I marched away. But I had to ask one last question.
"Mother?"
"Yes, Magnolia?"
"Will I ever see the guy again after this?"
"No."
The next day, I was climbing a stupid hill to a stupid house just because my stupid mother and her stupid friend said so. I couldn't live in the kingdom village because it was too close to the castle and people would recognize me. I pushed myself up a little more, carrying a bag full of mom's old clothes, Groal at my heels. I paused to see the view. There, on the horizon, was a silver castle. The one that was my home all my life. Until now. There was a bubbling sound. I kept climbing up. A river up ahead grew thicker as it rose on, teaming with life. Stones poked through to the surface. My flat leather shoes hit each stone before touching grass. My head rose to face a small spiral of smoke drifting up into the sky, coming from a tiny house perched upon the hill in front. It didn't seem so far, maybe because I'd climbed all the others. It seemed to be on the horizon, just a different one. I started running, gathering up my skirts. I ran up that hill to see something I never expected to see.
My new host was not alone. Two people were in front of the house, the taller one chopping wood, while the shorter one picked it up and carried it inside under his arm, the other using a walking stick. I assumed the man carrying the wood was Daniella's friend, because his companion, well, was a boy about my age. He paused and straightened, brown hair falling away from his face. Not much of a shared resemblance.
"H-hello." He walked over, smiling awkwardly. It was a relief. "You're our newcomer, aren't you? Magnolia? I'm Swift." We shook hands, exchanging perspiration.
"And this is my father, uh, well his name might be a bit of a mouthful..."
"Rumple," said Swift's father, shaking my hand as well, the other around his carved walking stick. "I see you two have become acquainted. Swift, why don't you show Magnolia the house? I can take care of these chores myself." Rumple looked straight at me. "I've decided I won't be teaching you. Swift can do it himself,"
Swift's mouth opened. I gaped. Rumple chuckled and sighed.
"I guess I'd better show you the house, then?" Swift squirmed.
"Of course," I mumbled, eyes down, "to get away from the adult who put me in this situation," I muttered, teeth clenched. As the door opened, it might have been the wind, but I heard a voice murmur, "Hormones."
The house had two rooms, to my surprise. Downstairs, there was a couch covered by a quilt beside a burning fireplace and a wooden chest.
"You can lay down your luggage here," said Swift. "Father's decided he can change outside." That took care of that little problem. At least we had different dressing rooms. That reminded me of something.
"Swift?" I asked, "Where is the bathroom?"
He let out what sounded almost like a cough. "Oh. Well, we have an outhouse, now a temporary changing room. It has a sink in it, too. But no shower, so we take separate baths in the river nearby." At least they had towels.
We walked up the creaking stairs and opened an equally creaky door to find a bedroom. A mattress, complete with blankets and a pillow, was on the ground beside the bed itself. Something large stood in a corner, shielded by a cloth. The smell of hay filled the room.
"What's that thing?" I reached towards it.
"It's a project I've worked on for a while," replied Swift. "Don't talk about this to Father. He doesn't know what I'm doing. If he did, he'd probably freak."
"Is Rumple a worrier?"
"Talk about overprotective. I go to the village every other Friday with him, and he makes sure I don't wander off or touch any pointy objects. It's really me around pointy objects that sets him off. I've tried to ask, but he never says why."
"Some weird thing," I spoke, parting the brown window curtains. Light spilled onto the beds and a wide bookshelf. Something glittered under the cloth. "Do you suppose I can see your project?"
"Sure, as long as we're alone, your dog not counting, of course."
"This is Groal," I replied, scooping him up. He wriggled out of my grasp and proceeded to sniff around the room. I noticed a bureau and mirror beside the window. I stepped over to see a face I had never truly seen. It was my face, my own, but the makeup on it was gone, as was the tiara. I was unfamiliar in a ponytail and a plain dress. I knew it would soon appear much different, covered in dust and dirt. My mind wasn't as focused on my looks as it normally is. It seemed to be drawn into my surroundings.
My thoughts were interrupted by clumps and thuds. Wood being dropped into the chest beside the fireplace.
"I guess we'd better go back downstairs then," I said, opening the door.
The days were one wonder after another. I laid my hands upon a mop, broom, feather duster and dust pan for the first time. I discovered an outhouse and a true public bath. But nothing could prepare me for the time Swift, Groal, and I stepped into the woods. They were behind the house, only several feet away. It was a Friday, and the sun rose a bright yellow and orange onto a soon-to-be-empty house. Rumple had announced that due to what he called "timing" and my arrival, he would no longer permit Swift to go into town with him. We had ten days to ourselves. Within twenty minutes, my feet were crunching through newly fallen leaves in a clearing. Everything seemed to be an orange reddish gold. Groal yipped, racing around us after a leaf. Swift laughed.
"Oh, look at him," I cooed. The wind came up, scattering leaves everywhere. "Wow," I whispered. Now that a few days had passed, I felt more comfortable with my surroundings. I might even get to like some things.
"This forest is the real boundary," Swift spoke. "I thought you could tell me about the other castle."
"Other castle?" Did he mean Daniella's? If it was mine, he would have said so. We parted back the branches to reveal a series of hills similar to the ones I had climbed. Only there was a different castle on the horizon, shining bright gold.
"I-it belongs to a friend of my mother's," I said softly. "Her name's Daniella, and she and Mother hang out a lot together. She's the one who suggested I should come here."
"What's she like? Both of them, that is. Daniella and your mother."
"Mother's bossy. Even with her background, she still thinks everything depends on a wish. Daniella's okay. She's pretty friendly, but she seems weighed down. As if she's had to give up something valuable and has spent a long time waiting to get it back."
"Has she?"
"I don't know. I'm pretty sure she doesn't have any kids, because I would have met them. Though I have overheard words about her once having a son, and something happening to him. Sent away or something. Why do you ask?" Swift was staring ahead.
"A son? Sent away?" The castle seemed a bit closer than before. Could those words, words I overheard one night years ago be true?
"Swift?" I spoke hesitantly, "What about your mother?"
"I don't know about her. She could be Daniella, depends on what she looks like. But probably not." The castle seemed distant again. "Let's head home. I need to show you my project." The project, the one covered by a cloth. I had almost forgotten it. After pushing past branches and walking around the house to reach the door, we stepped inside and climbed the rickety stairs. Swift pulled back the cloth to reveal a weaving loom leaning upon a spinning wheel. Only this weaving loom was full of golden cloth. I noticed another unusual thing. The spindle was shaped differently, much rounder than what I had seen as a princess.
"You've got quite a secret," I said in surprise.
"And there's more," he smiled. "I'll move this bookcase around halfway while you open up the bureau." The rattling drawers opened with difficulty. Resting on the lumps of clothes were spools of golden thread. The consistent smell of straw grew stronger. Hay filled the entire back of the bookcase.
"Whoa!" I gasped. "in terms of hay, you've got the mother load! What is the deal with it?"
"It's a little talent I got from Father. While I spin, you empty and refill the loom." I was going to weave this? Cloth from spools like these?
"Okay," I said nervously as I walked over to the loom. There were soft rhythmic clunks behind me. And I saw a thin piece of straw roll down the wheel, to roll back up as the very thread I was placing upon the loom. "Oh my gosh."
"Like I said, Father wouldn't like to find out that I've been doing this for nearly eight years." That reminded me of a question still in my brain.
"Why does your spindle look different? Its shape, that is. Where I'm from, they're thinner, more...pointy. Is this why Rumple's so protective of you?"
"I've only been to Daniella's village, and the round ones are the only ones they use. However, I've seen what you mean by pointy. Some gut instinct repels me from them. Probably from the past." I nodded as I wove in another thread.
"I had the same reaction when I was small, at least until I was six. Mother sort of started that instinct when she and Father came home from a ceremony."
"A ceremony?" asked Swift as he passed me a thread. "I've read about those. What type of royal ceremony was it?"
"It was a birth ceremony at Daniella's place. It could have been for any of her in-laws. All I've heard is that something bad happened there involving spindles and I was basically traumatized for six years after hearing that." I shook my head and untied another spool. "Mother told me it wasn't real, that I had been dreaming or misheard her. I was 8 months old then, after all." I grinned sheepishly.
Swift had paused. "Magnolia?"
"Yes?"
"When did you hear about Daniella having a son who got sent away?"
"The same day Mother told me the birth ceremony hash wasn't real," I replied. "That night I snuck down to get some water and I overheard my parents. I decided to go back to bed, but I caught one last word - 'lying.' And that could mean anything." I frowned. Could Mother have been lying to me that day? Was the incident that happened nearly 16 years ago real? And the timing. Why was the hash linked to Daniella's child? Unless the ceremony wasn't for Daniella's in-laws, but for Daniella herself. I found myself shaking, staring ahead. Swift could have heard the same things.
"Are you all right?" he asked in a concerned tone.
"I'm fine. I was just making a few connections. What if Mother was lying to me? That the prince got sent away due to the incident? And what we were talking about before, what if he's you?" I hit something. Birth dates. 8 months, that would be November, wouldn't it? "When's your birthday?" I asked.
"October 31." Birth ceremonies took place six days later, so it was probable, though unlikely. If the incident occurred on November 5, the chances would rise. But Swift's birthday had another meaning. He would be turning another age the day I left. Another age. Something else struck. If Swift was turning 16, he would be celebrating his coming of age if he were a noble. That wide bookshelf of his hopefully held royal records. I turned back to him and stopped weaving.
"What sort of books do you have here?" I said, squeezing past his chair. Swift looked up at me and at the case.
"In terms of relating to noble business, I have the family records of the nobility lines of both kingdoms. There are also books relating to noble dress, history, random stuff."
"Thanks," I said, finding two large books that had Noble Lines on their titles. One was blue, another light brown. I flipped open the blue one. "This is my line. Yes, there's Queen Ella, my mother, 'ties to the Tremaine line through stepmother, lower nobility class.' There's me, Crown Princess Magnolia, 'age 16, born April 19, in temporary exile.' What? 'being sheltered as a commoner by rumored heir to neighboring throne..'" I flipped open the second book. "Daniella's from common class. 'Heir to the throne is stepson, born out of wedlock with no ties to the royal line. Name unknown, born October 31... Currently in temporary exile with biological father due to skirmish with courtier Lord Aurum.'" Could that be the incident?
Swift had come over.
"Let's look up this Aurum guy. We could strike some gold."
"'Lord Midas Aurum, minor ties to Tremaine line. Second in line to throne. Rumored to have dabbled in negative activity and forced heir's exile by what appeared to be a curse. Most have doubts. Values nobility in royal lines.' This fellow doesn't sound too friendly."
"He certainly doesn't, what with that 'negative activity' and all."
"And he's related to my step-grandmother and my step-aunts. Only one good seed in that trio. They're the ones who made Mother work like a commoner in the first place. Made her so bossy, pessimistic, ignorant. Anyone who ties in with the Tremaines is bad news most of the time." My eyes wandered around the bookshelf until they spotted a book labeled Royal Lines:the chapter companions. "Check this out. Commoners, curses...this could mean something." I flipped the book open, turning pages. The families Aurum and Tremaine were in the curses section. I blinked. "My stepfamily has royal ties. The Tremaines are immigrants from a kingdom near mine, but too far away to be neighboring. The line of nobility was started by a duchess, whose line continued until it reached the Ladies Drizella and Anasastia, one of whom married common class. The duchess had two children, one who wed into the Aurum line, the other who started the Tremaines." I looked at the pages, many bearing portraits. "They all have the same long nose and narrow facial structure. And it says here they all valued the belief that royalty should only marry the noble class."
"Where does it talk about curses?"
"The duchess's mother was believed to have been cursed by a witch at her birth ceremony. Historians see this as unlikely, but there is no birth date tied to her. Unusual as well is the mysterious existence of a princess bearing a similar story, only she was born a hundred years earlier. Her date of death is unknown. If they were the same monarch-"
"Then that curse probably froze her or put her out for a century," Swift said jokingly. "That's something you tell your descendants, if you ask me."
"Do you suppose that's the curse Aurum used on the prince, if he did?"
"You never know. The author of that book tries to seek scientific answers, despite the fact that there are clearly multiple powers at work." Then he paused. "All right. Say I was the prince, Daniella's kid and everything. I've been cursed by Aurum and have been sheltered, probably to stay away from him. How does this tie in with fear of sharp points? Do you suppose the curse relates to them?" I read more slowly.
"Goose egg on the curse details. You're right, Swift, the author only takes science as true fact."
There was the sound of a door creaking open downstairs. "Hide the gold," I hissed.
That night, I had a strange dream. It was built up mainly of voices. A woman's voice spoke, gasping and quavering.
"I can't believe that really happened. The poor child. And his mother..." A new voice spoke, a man's, gentle, reassuring, but with a touch of sadness and worry.
"They'll be all right, Ella. It's sad that they'll be separated, but at least the boy will be somewhere safe. Away from that man. 16 years can go by fast, as we might notice ourselves." The woman spoke again.
"But what if they underestimate it? What if the curse ends at midnight? Because if he pricks himself on a spindle before it breaks.." What?
"If he pricks himself someone will be there to save him."
"But who?" Just then sounds interrupted the scene. The sound of a baby crying.
"Hello, Magnolia," the woman spoke kindly. Another voice, also that of a woman's, cut into their midst.
"Your Majesties, you're home early. Did anything happen at King Lucien's and Queen Daniella's birth ceremony?"
"Something terrible. Some monster of a courtier, with those other sorts of powers, he just cursed the little baby. Just like that. He'll be living like a peasant until his coming of age as a protection, and if the curse is fulfilled, only true love's kiss can get him out of it. The risks are so high, the odds..." The women sniffled. The voices changed. There was the sound of a door opening, of footsteps gently patting downstairs. The first woman's voice came once again.
"I settled Magnolia's fears for once. You should never have had anything to do with her, Daniella." Another woman's voice, angry and worried.
"You said what happened to me wasn't real. You've read my records. Imagine your child being marked as unknown. The one you tried so hard not to lose. The one who saved your child hurting her."
"It's for Magnolia's own good! She's six years old, she shouldn't have something like this over her head. Don't you think your plan will leave your son unprepared?"
"A curious child always finds out eventually. But you, you are building a fence that she will hate to see torn down. You don't regret that?"
"I know I'm lying."
I jerked up on my mattress. I had seen the truth. Daylight shone through the curtains on an empty bed.
Days kept passing. I realized Swift and I were closer than we thought, especially when we talked to each other about our lives. Every Friday, the golden cloth kept getting bigger. Soon it was the middle of September, and my own voice came back to me:Will I ever see the guy again after this? Time was limited. I would have to leave for good on Swift's birthday, the biggest day of his life. The day he would return to his mother. The day he would risk the curse's final blow. If that happened, it all might be left up to me.
The crucial day was near. If that imp kept the prince as a commoner for the full 24 hours that day, my chances of reaching the crown would slip through my fingers. But Daniella assumed it would break at sundown. I could lure the inhuman adolescent away in a disguise, preferably as a parent, then the coast was clear. But I would need a situation, a private room where I could keep him for at least half an hour. I needed an event and an accomplice. Suddenly, I heard voices behind me.
"What a letter! Queen Ella really hit the nail on the head!" Two other courtiers were chatting eagerly, one a small man in a turquoise suit, another a round woman in a headscarf.
"Excuse me, you two," I asked politely, "But what are you talking about?"
"You haven't heard?" replied the man in surprise. "Well, you're normally busy. Daniella just received a suggestion to have a ball." I collared him.
"What? When? Who sent it? The details!" I gasped eagerly. My fellow courtier, who I now remembered as Jeremiah, struggled.
"I can tell you everything! Queen Ella thought she needed some cheering up. At least it has an excuse for happening, being on All Hallow's Eve." My jaw dropped. "Daniella will probably repay her by making her the guest of honor. I won't have much to do." Won't have much to do, eh?
"I can give you a job," I grinned, putting him down. "Find out if anyone else important is coming to the ball, if you do, tell it to me, as well as any other important news about the ball in general."
"Call me Jem!" The courtier bowed and left.
Three days later, a new letter arrived. It turned out that Ella was unable to come to the ball. However, she would be sending her daughter in her place. Magnolia, finally coming back from that absurd time as a commoner. Her birth ceremony had given me an excuse to miss Daniella's wedding. But what thrilled me most about the letter was the news that she would be escorted there by a friend of hers who would also be her dance partner. And that sounded like my plan would be much easier than I thought. The noise, the people, all I needed to do was to make sure the prince, who was referred to as Swift in the letter, was alone at some point and that I had a private room reserved. The east room. It was on the side of Lucien's throne, and he would spend all his attention on the guests as a whole.
The fateful day came a week later. "Jem!" I shouted. Jem, who was carrying a stack of dishes, wobbled with their weight.
"What?"
"I need you to make sure no one goes into the east room except me. I'll be unrecognizable, so I'll make this sign." I put my left index finger and thumb together. "No one in the east room except for me."
"Why?"
"You remember that little scene I caused years ago?"
"The incident? Oh, you mean the one with the prince?"
"He'll be here at the ball, and I'm going to make sure that he'll never leave."
That night, I stood by a door, masquerading as a guard. Loud grunts came into earshot. A servant came by, pulling a hay cart.
"Never been this heavy in 16 years," he mumbled. I held out my hand to stop him.
"Where are you going with that hay?"
"To the straw house, of course!" the man snapped.
"I would advise you deliver this wagon's contents to the house farthest away from the entrance to the ballroom." The servant nodded and pushed the cart away. A new guard walked over to me and my fellow guard. I stepped back and let him take my post. After I was a few feet away, I turned back into myself. I approached the entrance. Then, I heard giggling. The couple who had briefly delayed the birth ceremony 16 years ago skipped inside. I could not go in through the front without guests noticing. The west room, perhaps. I walked back, throwing open a door and dashing inside. After heading down a hall, I opened a door into a dark room with a crumbling carpet. I opened a third door into a large, bright, room. Music filled the air.
"What are you doing here, Aurum?" It was Daniella. Her throne was on this side.
"I thought I'd stay to see one dance, that's all," I returned. Trumpets blared. The announcer bellowed, like it was a day long ago:
"And finally, the ones we have all been waiting for, our guest of honor Crown Princess Magnolia and her partner and escort... Swiftfingers!"
The ballroom was filled with light and music. I stepped in, taking in the scene. Everyone had their eyes on us. Especially Magnolia. No one had seen her in a dress as simple as this. The puffed sleeve blue dress lightly touched the floor. I removed my long brown cloak. I had been waiting to show her this for practically two months. The crowds gasped even more as light glinted off of my suit. My homemade golden suit. I felt a bit cramped now that everyone had their eyes on me. I peered over to find a porch with a balcony over to my right, shut by glass doors.
"Perhaps we should dance in there," I suggested. Magnolia nodded, eyes focused on the other guests. The dancers parted to let us through. The doors slid open; I had expected them to be locked. The night was cool and clear, dotted with stars.
"You aren't chilly, are you? In that dress?"
"No," chuckled Magnolia as she put her arm around my shoulder. I carefully placed my arm around her waist. Our hands touched. Music drifted through the open door. Just it, the two of us, and the bells of time. I don't know how much time passed. But I saw my reflection framed by clouds in her eyes. I broke our gaze. The stars were gone.
"It's clouding over. We should go inside." Still holding hands, we left the porch behind. Most of the other guests had stopped dancing when we entered. They were hanging with the hosts, musicians, and the snack table. Especially the snack table. We walked over. Then something nagged me. The porch. I'd left the doors wide open. If it rained, I'd hate to see people get soaked.
"Hold on," I told Magnolia, "I forgot something." I left the table where a space was open which closed as soon as I passed. I thought I heard Magnolia say something, but it was lost in the chatter. The path was clear the rest of the way to the porch. I didn't bother to lock the doors. Just then, I felt something touch me. I turned to face the most unlikely person I'd have expected to see.
"Father!" I gasped. "What are you doing here?" My father seemed tensed, anticipated, excited. There was an abnormal look in his eyes.
"Listen to me, Swift," he hissed, leaning close, "We have a very important matter to discuss."
"Fine." I recoiled slightly. "Should Magnolia come?"
"No. This talk is between you and me." Father's hand gripped around my wrist. He pulled me towards a door blocked by a man in a turquoise suit. As we approached it, Father put the thumb and index finger of his free hand together. Just then, barking came from behind us. Groal. My father shoved me inside, leaping in himself, and the door slammed shut. The barking continued. Then there was the sound of two objects colliding, a yelp, and a whimper. Father was facing me now, and I had my back towards the door.
"How did you arrive here?" I asked firmly.
"I had to hide in a hay cart, if you must know," my father sighed. "That and a little more." I braced myself. This was the talk that brought me into this room.
"I saw that some of your books were lying around. Those that related to family ties. You probably know what I was going to say, don't you?"
"The truth about Daniella, you, and myself. That I'm first in line to rule all of this. Yes, I do."
"But not that little thing about King Lucien."
"What about him?" I leaned forward. Father was focused on the thick rug as he spoke.
"In terms of valuing nobility, your stepfather makes Aurum look like a decent fellow. You need to prove to him that you have... royal blood." Here my father took a deep breath, as if he was trying to stifle something, reached into his cloak, and pulled something out. It was a spindle. Not round, like the ones I'd always used. This was the kind Magnolia was used to: long, narrow, and rising to a point. He held it out to me. "Like this. Go on, touch it." I backed away, hands raised in front of me.
"How do I know you're my father telling me the truth?" I spoke with attempted bravery.
"I hid in a curtain during your birth ceremony." Now that's something Father would do. I lowered my right arm, my finger striking the spindle's point. A sharp pain rushed through it as the clock began to chime over a roll of thunder. I jerked my hand back with a gasp. There was a puncture mark on my index finger which slowly oozed a drop of blood. Then a wave of weariness swept over me. I covered my mouth and a huge yawn. My father's eagerness seemed to be growing.
"Tired, son?"
"Yes," I managed to mumble before another yawn rose, even bigger than before. I had lost track of time on the porch. It had to be late.
"Perhaps you should lie down," continued Father, guiding me to the nearby wall, safely away from the door. I stretched out upon the rug. It was as soft as it looked. All sights blended away into darkness, my ears and thoughts still alert. The clock struck twelve.
I sat on a chair facing the wall. Now and then people would walk past me. It was after midnight. The last time I'd seen Swift was when Rumple had taken him to the east room. Groal, who decided to accompany me to the ball, rushed towards the two of them, barking madly. The door closed and a courtier of Daniella's I'd heard of as Jem kicked him aside. He limped over to me, but Swift hadn't come back. I scratched behind Groal's ear. Then, I heard someone shouting.
"Swift! Swift! Where are you?" Rumple? Wasn't he supposed to be with him? "Oh, there you are, Magnolia. Have you seen Swift?" I was increasingly puzzled.
"Swift?" I cocked my head, staring at bits of straw in Rumple's hair and on his clothing. "I thought he was with you!"
"Where is he?" Rumple asked, eyes wide open, hands trembling. "He could be in mortal danger." The curse. Swift had entered a room with an impostor before midnight. I pointed towards the east room, rising to my feet, and all three of us started to run. Crowds quickly parted to let us through. Jem held out his arm to try and stop us, but Rumple knocked him aside with his stick. Groal yipped with pleasure. I threw open the door. Standing in front of us was a courtier laughing. Aurum. Laughing. And on the floor beside him was-
"SWIIIIIIIFTTT!" My knees scraped the rug. He was lying motionless, cheeks devoid of color. I touched his hand. It was warm. Alive. Swift was breathing normally. I began to shake and pinch and prod him, one ear open to the other sounds in the room.
"What have you done to him?" Rumple hissed.
"What do you think I did?" retorted Aurum. There was a thump. I noticed something on Swift's outstretched right hand. A puncture wound.
"Oh, my..." I couldn't take my eyes off him for a second, but I knew his father was burning.
"Your son is lying on the ground dead as a doornail," crowed Aurum. "You might as well call me king now."
I turned, leaving Groal to lick Swift's face.
"He's alive," I spoke. "He's breathing, see?" Aurum's eyes grew. His jaw clenched. He stiffened.
"No-no-NEVER!" At that, he grew rapidly, hair and horns sprouting. A huge clawed hand clutched Swift from his neck to his ankles. Aurum had become a monster from the inside out. The door was kicked open and we reentered the ballroom. The monster threw open the doors to the porch. He charged outside, and we raced after him into a cold, dark, rainy night. Aurum's arm was dangling over the railing, ready to drop his victim fifty feetdown onto a hedge of thorns. Then there was a sudden shriek of pain. Light enveloped Aurum's hand. Light that came from Rumple's walking stick. Those ears of his, his stature, his abilities. I should have known he wasn't human. The light seemed to be burning Aurum, but Swift showed no trace of pain or injury. The claw loosened, and Swift floated down inside the beam. He was completely dry, and the light seemed to be forming a chaise beneath him. Rumple navigated him back inside before scooping Groal up and entering himself. The door shut with a click. The monster stood in front of the balcony. A wooden balcony that seemed very thin. I began to circle Aurum very, very slowly. I could do this, just trick him into trying to pounce on me.
"I know the whole thing," I growled, hair hiding my downturned head. "I know what you did and why you did it. Thanks to my parents and my memories." I made a grim smile, leading Aurum closer and closer to the balcony. "You're a liar, attempted murderer, an identity theft, and I'm going to tell what you did to Daniella. I'm going to wake Swift up." That was the last straw on the monster's back. A straw he couldn't turn to gold. He leapt up on the balcony, squatting, readying his weight to pounce. Crack. Aurum froze. Crack. The balcony began to split, shattering into pieces and falling over the ledge, taking him with it. CRUNCH. I stepped carefully over to the edge of what remained of the balcony. Aurum was alive, flailing, tangled in the briars. My head rose, and I turned back to the glass doors. They were unlocked. The ballroom was much quieter than when I'd left it. Everyone was gathered in the middle of the room, around what I knew to be the chaise Rumple had created. I heard Daniella's voice.
"She's here, make some space." The crowds parted, and I approached a person I'd been very awkward with two months ago, someone whose current position brought those feelings back. I knelt, eye to closed eyelid. Our hands touched. Our lips met. Then fingers curled around my hand. I raised myself, watching Swift's eyes slowly open. He smiled and sat up.
"Are you all right?" I asked.
"I'm fine," he replied. I hugged Swift with a cry of joy. In that moment, I forgot I was entirely soaked. I didn't care that I was dressed simply, that my hair was undone, sticking out at all angles. That my headband was askew. That I wasn't wearing any jewelry or makeup. I knew why my mother dressed in those plain gowns. I had wound up the same way.
The next day was a hubbub. Aurum and Jem had gone to prison, the bushes and balcony were being repaired, and the coming of age ceremony took place. According to Lucien, it was the simplest ceremony he could remember, with only flowers and sheer curtains for decorations. Even more surprising, however, was the arrival of my parents. Queen met Queen. King met King. Daniella dropped the bombshell of last night's fiasco. Mother stared in horror at me when she heard of my dress and the rain.
"The tables have turned, haven't they?" I laughed. I knew there would be issues coming in the future. But right now, it was only the eight of us.