Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I'm just playing pretend with them for just a little while.
A/N: This is a sequel/companion piece to my oneshot Deal. It might be beneficial to read that first, then to start upon this story, but the choice is up to you.
Of Heroes and Fools
Prologue- Of Thorns and Thistles
On his twenty-seventh birthday, the universe gave Charles R. Thorn a gift he could never return. It had been a stupid accident he would later recall, trimming the rose bushes that were gently crawling over the walls and onto the window pain of Rachel Windom's house, he had reached a little too high and in seconds had plummeted to the ground right into the sticker bush he had kept muttering to himself to take out. The thorns had found a comfortable place on his face, and three hospital visits later Charles was informed he had severly impaired his vision. He could still see, sometimes, if the light was strong enough. He could see forms, and outlines, and shapes. Just blobs of colors and fuzzy figures of streetlamps and people. There was also a chance, the doctors assured him that in time there might be a corrective surgery they could try that would return his vision to some sort of normalcy but for now, Charles R. Thorn was stuck.
That was how Charles found himself sitting on a bench in front of the courthouse, tapping his new cane against the sidewalk as he played his favorite new game, "Person, tree or lamp post." He was just deciding on whether the oblong shape in front of him was a car or a badly trimmed bush when the tight staccato notes of heels on concrete made him lift his head.
"Mr. Thorn," A female voice purred from above, "just the man I was looking for."
Charles shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Yeah? Well if you don't mind, can you tell me who you are?"
"I'm surprised Mr. Thorn, don't you know the voice of your own Mayor?" Regina smirked down at the man who was currently staring at the lamppost five feet away. She watched as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, swallowing a few times. It was good to be reminded that some people still feared her in Storybrooke.
"O-of course Madame Mayor," Charles nervously twisted the tip of his cane between his fingers, "could I ask why you're looking for me?"
"Oh," Regina sighed, sitting down on the bench, "it's simple enough. I heard about your little," she paused looked him up and down, "accident. And decided I needed to help a citizen in need. You are in need aren't you?"
"Yeah, you could say that." Charles sighed and rubbed at his chin with his left hand grimacing at the stubble he found there. "I'm out of a job now since I lost my sight but Rachel, bless the girl, took me in as a temporary boarder 'till I can get back on my feet. But, I'm going to need a source of income to help pay for the groceries and such."
Regina rolled her eyes as her lips twisted into a sour smile, "Oh how nice." She muttered, "Now, I may have a solution for your income problem."
"Really?" Charles leaned forward in this seat toward the nearest blob, which luckily was Regina.
"Yes, you see the hospital is looking for a new…janitor for the psychiatric ward and-"
"We have a psychiatric ward?" Charles interrupted, "I never knew we had a psy-"
"Don't interrupt." Regina commanded, caught herself and plastered a sweet smile on her face and cooed, "I mean, of course we do Charles we only have a few patients there though, and it's off to the side of the main hospital since the cases we receive are just so troubling."
Charles nodded his brow furrowed in thought, "So what does this job entail anyway?" He raised his hands up to his face where a pair of darkened lenses was perched on his nose. "Not much a nearly blind man can do."
"Come now Mr. Thorn, you undersell yourself you're fully capable of every day life. You will merely have to mop the floor and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to the patients." Regina leaned closer, her lips thinning as her smile turned slightly vicious, "But," Regina added, "There is one condition."
Charles rubbed at his chin again, "What is it?"
"You cannot, under any circumstances, tell anyone about the patients or the psych ward." Regina leaned close, her arm brushing Charles. "Our patient's families value their privacy very dearly, since the cases we have there are so very extreme." Her voice became soft as she placed her hand upon his arm, "You understand of course?"
"Of course," Charles shrugged, "I understand."
"Good." Regina smiled and patted his arm for emphasis. "Meet me here tomorrow at seven o' clock and I'll show you where you'll be working. You should settle in just fine."
A/N: I should be updating this story soon, so keep a look out for the next chapter. Charles Thorn is based on a fairy tale character, even though he is a character of my own devising. Perhaps you've already guessed who he is, I'd love to hear your guesses. Please leave a review!
