Grace and Rumpelstiltskin stood on a dock, Emerald tied to a mast on land. The clouds overhead hung low, threatening to let loose its heavy waters at any moment. The small, rippling waves lapped at the wood floating on it's waters as it rocked slightly. Rumpelstiltskin stood his casual confident stance gazing out over the waters.
"In coming years, the world we know will no longer be," he said, a smile on his lips.
Grace had her right hand shoved into her pocket, her fingers fiddling with the magic bean. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, there is a curse coming." He turned to her then, no sign of fear or sadness. "And it will take us to a land where we will not remember our true identities.""Well, there must be something you can do for me," She said desperately.
"Like what, deary?"
"I must keep my memory, please!"
He chuckled lightly. "I will help you, of course...For a price."
"And what would you need, Rumpelstiltskin?"
He reached out and plucked from her head a few tufts of hair. She exclaimed in pain, clutching the place he pulled her hair. "You hair."
"Why?"
He laughed. "Well what do you need of it now, its been plucked from your head!" She nodded simply, and Rumpelstiltskin pulled out a vial.
He bent down and filled it with water before standing back up. Slipping inside of it a single strand of her dark hair and shook it gently from side to side. It glowed a light green as he put a small cork in the opening, making it impossible for the liquid to slip through. He slowly turned to her, but he still had a few words to speak.
"Now, Grace, this curse will not happen upon us for quite a few years...but never doubt," he said, slipping the tiny vial into her waiting hand. It was cool to the touch. Grace's eyes lingered on the glowing liquid for a moment before returning her attention back to Rumpelstiltskin. "This curse will come. So I suggest you keep a close eye on that."
She gulped, her fist still closed around the magic bean. She could give it to him, but what would that do? He seemed to have waiting plans, and each bean held a different portal. For all she knew, this bean would not take him to where he needed to be. So instead of offering it to him, she released her fist and allowed the bean to once again settle into her pocket and slipped the vial in with it.
"Thank you, Rumpelstiltskin."
He nodded. "Oh, and, you had better drink that just before the curse takes you."
She frowned, a baffled expression written clearly on her face. "How will I know when to drink it?"
He chuckled lightly. "Oh, trust me, deary. You'll know."
He brushed past her and headed for land. She turned soon after and followed him. He went to her horse and untied Emerald, bringing the mare back to Grace. As he handed her the reigns, their hands brushed and a heat swept through her and blushed ever so slightly. He smiled kindly as she carefully took the reigns into her hands and looked up at him.
"Rumpelstiltskin..." She trailed off, looking down to the ground.
"Is there something you wish for me to know?" His voice was quiet and dripping with curiosity, but somehow, he already seemed to know what she wanted to say, what she wanted to do. So, being the way he is, he gently placed his fingers below her chin and lifted her face to his. Their lips molded together for just a moment, but for Grace, it was a moment she relished in. When he pulled away, she frowned slightly, but smiled sheepishly up at him.
"What is it you were going to tell me?" He asked.
"Fff," she blew out a breath of air, a bit flushed. "Well, I just...I..." She leaned up and kissed him once more before pulling away. "I love you."
A look came over her she had never worn before, and indeed, it was one of love. The kind of love that she had never experienced before. Though for Rumpelstiltskin, he did care for the girl, but it was in the most subtle of ways. And in his mind, it was to his advantage to keep her close. It was in his nature to lie, to make deals, to do what is in his best interests. So with that in mind, he smiled down at her, caressing her cheek.
"I do as well," he said, but could not bring himself to actually say 'I love you.' He could not do it. He looked up suddenly, remembering he needed to leave and return to his mansion where he had business of his own accord to attend to. "Grace, I must go now." And so he pulled her in for one last kiss, his arm encircling her waist, the other resting on her cheek, before he wished her a farewell and headed on his watched him walk away, but he only walked about a yard or two when she shouted, "Wait!" He twirled around to face her, one foot in front of the other. "Have...Have I made you proud, Rumpelstiltskin?"
He smiled. "More than you know, deary." And then he turned and was on his way.
"Good-bye, Rumpelstiltskin," Grace called after him, and climbed onto the horse's back, directing the horse onto the path leading to the next village. "Hyah!" She exclaimed, kicking the side of the horse a bit forcefully, and Emerald began to gallop down the path, her hooves pounding against both the packed and loose dirt, kicking away stones and snapping small twigs as she did.