Once upon a time in a far away land there was a beautiful kingdom. The kingdom was beautiful and prosperous though the people were unhappy because King Charlie was greedy. Once a month King Charlie would ride throughout his kingdom on his decorated horse with his court in tow to make sure the kingdom stayed beautiful and the people were paying their taxes. One day while the king was out and about his kingdom he came across an old spinner.
"You there spinner, have you paid all your taxes to your king."
"Yes your majesty" and not wanting to miss out on boasting about her son "both me and my amazing son have paid every penny." This got the kings attention
"What makes a spinners son so amazing?"
"He is the most accurate archer in the kingdom. He can shoot 10 arrows one after the other to the bulls eye center."
"I have a court archer who can hit the bulls eye 11 in a row your son is not special" the old woman was furious to hear her son being denounced by the king.
"Oh well can your archer turn the bulls eye to gold?" She screeched and then added a meak "your majesty?" this stopped the kings laughter and his eyes narrowed.
"What is your name spinner?"
"Elizabeth Mason, your majesty"
"Tell me again so the court can hear you said your son can turn the bulls eye to gold? Do you deny it?" Knowing lying outright to the king she could be beheaded where she stood and Edward would have to forever be ostracized by the people of the kingdom as the son of a liar she said "I do not deny it your majesty"
"Then hurry home and collect your son's possessions he shall come to the palace." One more attempt to save her son and herself, "But he can only make it happen when the sun is at its highest point in absolute solitude"
"Then he will stay the night at the castle and will be brought to the archers field just before the suns highest point." Elizabeth returned to her cottage to tell her son the news.
"Oh my handsome son please forgive me I have done a terrible thing." And she proceeded to tell him that afternoons happenings and what was now expected of him.
"Mother what have you done? You shall surely be tried and found guilty of treason for I cannot turn the bulls eye to gold at the suns highest point now or ever."
"You must go my son when the king finds you cannot turns the bulls eye to gold I will claim senility." Given no other choice Edward packed his few belongings in a bag and his good luck bead in his pocket and set out for the castle.
King Charlie was waiting in the throne room when Edward arrived. He did not believe for an instant that the common boy could achieve what he had been told. He figured if the boy could do this then the kingdom would be that much richer, if not then he could make an example out of him and his mother. No one lies to the crown and gets away with it.
When Edward was brought to the throne room the first thing he noticed was the disbelieving scowl on King Charlies face. He did not even give Edward time to tell the truth. A servant by the name of Eric was ordered to take his bag and lead him to his quarters for the night. Edward was led down a crowded servants corridor. He was led to the very end of the corridor which was eerily quiet and dark. There was a strange rustling sound on the other side of the door he assumed was his room. Eric dropped Edwards bag and almost rammed into Edward cursing under his breath and mumbling something that sound like 'haunted'. Edward chuckled to himself and entered the room with his bag in hand. It was a small room with nothing except a small bed and bedside table. The moon lit up the room with a whitish-blue hue. He laughed out loud when he saw the wall behind the door. Someone had hung four sheets which moved with the breeze from outside. Haunted, they were nothing but sheets with crudely cut holes that barely resembled faces. Those who lived within the walls of the castle were obviously easier to scare than those who lived outside the walls. He pulled off one of the sheets to use for the bed. A few holes did not make a sheet useless. The sheet he had chosen turned out to be covering a missing board in the wall. The space was only big enough for a child to squeeze through but he covered the hole with one of the other sheets. He then tried to go to sleep. Unfortunately sleep was elusive while his mind worried about the task he had to perform tomorrow.
"How will I ever turn the bulls eye to gold?" He asked while looking out the window. He heard rustling and turned in time to see two bright red irises disappear from the holes in the sheet on the wall. "You there! I know your not a ghost. Show yourself." He figured this person was the reason the servants thought the room was haunted.
"Your not very polite for someone in trouble." came the reply in a childlike voice. The owner of the red eyes stepped out through the missing board with ease. She was looked almost childlike with her skinny limbs and a height of 4 feet. Her age was given away by her face lined by coppery curly hair, to mature to be a child's face. Could she even be human with that stone white complexion and those pointy white teeth? Her eyes were a bright red that almost seemed to glow. He just stared at her so she continued. "You may not be able to turn things to gold but I can...for a price of course." Edward contemplated the offer and after the pros outweighed the cons he accepted with a nod of his head.
"Now, about the price." She gave an eerie grin and looked around the room for something of value. Her eyes rested on Edwards pocket. "Your good luck bead should suffice." Edward reluctantly gave her the bead and she disappeared.
The next day Edward was brought to the empty archers field. He stood there after everyone had left looking for some sign of the red eyed creature. He grew board and used the arrows and bow he had been given. He shot 10 arrows in a row but the 11th arrow missed because he distracted by the gleaming gold bulls eye. Edward was examining the bulls eye when the king came. King Charlie was shocked but unconvinced and asked him to do it again tomorrow.
That night the little red eyed creature returned that night with the good luck bead on a string around her neck. "Your hair is such a nice color. It'll be good enough." Having nothing else he agreed to give a lock of his hair. The next day he wasted no time in shooting the arrows. The bulls eye didn't turn gold so he ran over to find the creature just standing there fiddling with the lucky bead and now his lock of hair on the string.
"Why is it not gold?" He asked.
"You don't trust me?" she answered with a question. She glanced up at the sun and Edward followed her gaze. When he looked back down she was gone and the bulls eye was gold. The king was impressed but asked Edward to perform the feat one more time. That night Edward fell asleep but woke up with a start when he felt someone jump on the bed.
"What will you give me to complete your task?" The creature asked.
"I have nothing left to give." Edward said.
"I have heard rumors of what you are to receive. Promise me your first born and I'll grant you the ability to turn the bulls eye to gold on your own." She offered. Edward agreed because he had planned to take care of his mother for the rest of her days before considering marriage.
The next day he turned the bulls eye to gold with the 10th arrow with the power he was granted. This time the king was satisfied because he had seen it turn to gold himself. Before the whole court King Charlie offered his daughter, Princess Isabella, to be his bride. Edward agreed on the condition that his mother could come live at the castle. The king agreed and so Edward and his mother left to live at the castle.
A year later Edward and Bella, as she preferred to be called, were married in a wedding that rivaled all others. King Charlie fell ill shortly after the wedding and before he passed away he made Edward king in his will. Two years after the wedding Bella told Edward she was expecting. 7 months from learning that he was going to be a dad Edward woke up with a start. There on the foot of his bed were two red eyes starring almost hungrily at his wife. Outraged at himself for accepting the deal almost three years ago he lunged at the creature and brought her out onto the balcony.
"What do you want?" Edward growled at the creature quietly because he didn't want to wake his wife.
"You know what I want." She hissed at him. She gave him a good kick in the ribs and he dropped her. "I'm here to collect what is mine."
"I have gold, precious jewels, and treasure. Take anything but my child." He begged her. He looked so pitiful begging and even then she pretended to think about it.
"Fine, I will make you one more deal." She said after casting a glance towards his room. "I will give you three nights to guess... my name. If you fail I will have not only your child, your wife will also belong to me. If you can succeed I will allow you to keep your child, its mother, and the ability to turn the bulls eye to gold." Edward agreed. After all how hard can it be to guess a name? She gestured for him to start guessing.
"Amanda, Avery, Alison..." He guessed well into the night.
"Enough, the sun will rise soon. I will come back tonight." And with that she dashed off. That day Edward ordered his servants to write every girly name they could think of. He also gave orders for Eric(the servant who had carried his bag when he arrived) to follow the creature when she left. He waited up that night with the lists on the balcony.
"Are you going to waste all your time staring." She said from behind him. She looked as if she had been sitting on the balcony all day.
He sighed and started reading from the lists by candle light. She called it a night right before sun up and he saw Eric trail behind her once she left the castle grounds.
Eric followed Renesmee from the palace cautiously. Luckily for him Renesmee did not seem in a rush tonight. He was able to follow her without incident all the way to the cave she was rumored to reside in. Instead of going to the cave entrance she went to the only tree within 100 yards of the cave and tugged on the root which opened up the ground below her and she dropped. Eric followed behind after he realized where she went. Suddenly he was sliding at an uncontrollable speed which made his heart race. He landed silently and saw a light disappearing up a passage ahead. He hurried after her. Too fast. She stopped and Eric panicked looking around he saw another passage way and dived in before he could be seen. The direction he was facing he could see the bars Renesmee summoned cut off any hope of escape the way they had come. Eric followed the passage he had chosen not wanting to be caught following. He came upon the end of his passage which revealed a dead end. A sliver of light came through a tiny hole in the rocks. Curiosity got the better of him and he peered through. The hole revealed a well-lit cavern with a fire pit in the middle. He heard Renesmee before he saw her cackling and throwing items into the fire making it grow larger and burst an occasional odd color.
"A babe and a mother to match, can it get any better?" She danced to a tank that was against a far wall. "Don't you agree my pets?" she raked a finger nail against the tank and two creatures that resided in the tank started beating against the glass mouths open screaming underwater. Eric was shocked. It was a real full grown mermaid and a younger one. He shifted so he could see more of the room and found it to be filled with cages and tanks of various sizes holding many creatures such as forest animals, sea creatures, and even impossible creatures. Most looked pitiful while some looked enraged though none made a sound. Renesmee was up through most of the night cackling and humming to herself, crafting a cage just big enough for a human. When she finished the cage she placed an already crafted cradle inside. She threw her head back in another maniacal laugh.
"A babe and it's mother because of the dear old father couldn't tell the truth." She said in a singsong voice. "He will never guess my name in a life time, for I am the only one ever to go by the name… RENESMEE!" Her name echoed off the walls and the fire raged highest it had yet. Eric had his information now he just had to sit and wait until she left to pay her last visit to the castle.
Eric had a fitful sleep not wanting to miss Renesmee's departure. When she finally awoke she ran her fingernail along the cage she had crafted last night and it folded in on itself into a small ball. She hummed to herself as she doused the fire that had raged all night with sand bags. Once the fire was no more Renesmee tucked the cage that was now a ball into her vest and climbed through an opening in between a cage which held a centaur and the other held a giant toad easily the size of a large tortoise. Eric didn't wait any longer and took off down the passageway. Since the bars cut off one escape route he had to go into her cavern. In his haste he didn't realize there were steps leading down into the cavern and tumbled down them. He continued to roll once he reached the bottom of the stairs and he was getting dangerously close to the still hot fire-pit. He realized too late where he was heading and he fell in. He grabbed the edge of the fire pit to keep from falling into the glowing coals. He couldn't ignore the blistering heat on his hands but he was suddenly distracted as strange pink rubber wrapped around his wrist and wrenched him out of the pit. He was slammed into the bars of the giant toad's cage. That's when he realized he had a tongue wrapped around his wrist. He freed his hands and made a mad dash for the same exit Renesmee had used but was caught by the centaur. Do not look into her eyes. He heard and he realized the centaur was talking in his head. The centaur pushed him through the exit. He tumbled through and landed roughly on a pile needle-leaves. Eric followed behind Renesmee for a while. It seemed Renesemee was the cause of household problems. He saw her snap her fingers to make wind blow down hanging laundry, stomp her foot to make fences fall releasing the animals within, and even steal fresh bread that was in the window seal to cool. When given the chance he raced ahead of her. He arrived at the castle with a burning stitch in his side and out of breath. Edward who had been awaiting his return came out with a physician.
"R-ru-ru." He had not yet caught his breath. Just before he slipped unconscious he whispered, "Renesmee."
Edward waited in the garden as he had the last night. He paced anxiously. He knew Renesmee would guess she had been cheated if he guessed her name on the first try tonight. He had another list of names prepared with names like Zendaya, Yevonne, Xinith, and Willowmeena. He heard her tell-tale cackle before she stepped into the garden.
"You have kept me for too long Edward. I give you seven guesses tonight and then your wife and babe belong to me." She felt hope in Edward and she didn't like it.
"I belong to no one. Be gone from my gardens deceitful one." Bella was glaring daggers at Renesmee and Edward both.
"Your husband gave his word. He must guess my name or forfeit you and the child you carry." She held up seven fingers.
"Vianne, Ursula, Terr, Sola, Romilda." Edward guessed playing his part carefully.
"What about Ashley or Olivia?" Bella guessed not realizing they had already been used. Renesmee grinned evilly bringing down two more fingers.
"No! Wait! I have one more!" He shouted. Renesmee laughed at him waiting for his last guess. "Renesmee." He stated loud and clear.
"Nope, Sorr-y" Her maniacal laugh died when she realized he had said her name. "W-Wh-Wha-WHAT! How did you?" Eric, who had been watching the scene from a palace window, chose that time to peak through the window again. Renesmee locked eyes with him and he clutched at his heart as he fell to the ground. Realizing she had been beat at her own game of deceit her face contorted in rage and then a mask of calm.
"You cheated." She hissed. "I shall keep my word. You can keep your precious wife and first born." She said as she backed closer and closer to the cage and cradle. She ran a finger nail along the cage emitting an earsplitting ring. Renesmee entered the already open cage which continued to ring and started glowing. The glow got brighter and brighter until it hurt to look at the cage. The light suddenly vanished and the cage fell into itself until it was about the size of a crochet ball. After the blinding light they did not see the ball shoot up into the air until it burst far above the castle like fireworks. Edward sighed in relief and looked around for his wife.
"Bella!" He shouted running over to his wife who had fainted from the shock of Renesmee's demise.
Edward paced outside the room in solitude. He had scared off all the servants who had attempted to stay with him. Every time he heard his Bella cry out Edward would pause and mutter to himself, all my fault. He had been sent out of the room when the physician realized Bella was in labor a few short hours after Renesmee's fireworks display. Now he paused again as he heard his Bella cry out and then… was that? Yes, it could be nothing else, he heard the cry of his firstborn. Edward barreled through the door just as the physician was coming out with the news. He immediately went to Bella's side kissing her softly and murmuring how much he loved her in her ear. A handmaiden placed a swaddled babe in Bella's arms.
"A princess, your majesties.'' She bowed and left the room along with all the others.
"Our princess." Bella chuckled tiredly. "We were so sure of a Prince. What shall we name her?"
"My Bella, whatever you wish to name her." He had had enough with names to last a lifetime. Edward called in a scribe to complete the birth proclamation.
"Renesmee." Bella stated plainly. Edward looked shocked but could not find himself to be angry. He had told her whatever name she wished. He gave his wife a loving kiss.
If Edward oblivious with joy to have his wife and his daughter in his arms he might have realized the scribe was a bit on the small size. He might also have realized that as the scribe wrote the chosen name the princess's eyes opened. He certainly would have realized the scribe disappearing and his daughters ocean blue eyes had changed to bright red irises.
-The End-
A/N: So who else has seen tv show Once Upon a Time and have it inspire a story? This is unedited but hopefully its readable. I've come down with the terrible writers sickness, Writers Block(du du duhn), on my other story The Eyes Have It but I will update asap. Hope you enjoy reading :)