There were no more noises in the forest, no breath, no move. The trees were still burning, and dust was covering every rock, every scraps. The battle was over, but there was no vanquisher. Death had taken everything in Her impartial hand.
The only thing that remains of the world of living was a tiny piece of wounded flesh, curled up in her own rag, waiting for someone to come – waiting for Her to come back. This hurted thing was no more than a little girl, but she was the only one who survive – to what ? She could barely remember. Everything was so blurred, that she didn't have even seen Her taking everything she had known away.
But now that she could have say with no doubt that she was going to be lost forever, something happened she did not have expected.
In front of her hazy eyes appeared two boots, and with the boots came a man, or so it look like.
"H'llo Child, 'seem's like you didn't have nothing to handle on right now, deary ?"
The little girl's hand seized one of the boot and palpated it with relief.
"'re y...ou Hu..man, lord ?" Breathed her.
" Barely, deary, but I'm not your ennemy !" Answered the man with a strange laugh. "And if you tell me your name, maybe I could be of some help to you !"
The girl tried to go on her knee, but she was too weak to move. The man grabed her into his arm, and she saw with her eye – the only one who still worked – that his skin was reptile-like, and his eyes as yellows as Her eyes. The girl gasped and tried to escape, but he straightened his grip.
"I'm not going to hurt you" He said with a reassuring voice.
"Are y..ou going to pr... protect me ?" Exclaimed the girl with a hint of fear in her voice.
The man took her hand gently and smiled oddly.
"Yes, but you have to say me your name !" Answered him with another strange laugh.
The girl shivered, but she breathed, in spite of her fear :
" My name's Emy."
"Well, Emy, we have a long journey beyond us. And we have to move faster than the thing who destroy your land. Can you follow me ?"
The girl shaked her head and clamped the man's hand back.
" And you ?" Asked her.
"What ?"
"You did … didn't tell me … your name, lord."
The man gave a look to the destroyed forest, and then stared Emy's single eye.
"My name's Ruplestiltskin."