"Lost are we dearie? The dear pirate couldn't help you?" Lily couldn't help but be startled by the green imp standing on top of a rock in front of her. She shook the shock of. Getting startled was one of the traits she wanted to get rid of desperately. Pirate…hook….James. She did not want to see that man. He was just so so…
"I doubt anyone can help me." She said quickly walking past the green man.
"Lovely red hair…a rarity perhaps even where you come from." Those words made her stop walking.
"Is green skin common for people here then?" She turned around to have a good look at him. Her heart was beating out her chest. He didn't…look human. Skin that more resembled a reptile, yet it shimmered like gold. He spoke like her…sort of. No one here really talked the way she did. But as she thought more, he wasn't the weirdest thing in this land, hell she met a jealous mermaid the other day.
"Ah, ah. We're talking about you here dearie. The girl who fell through the glass."
"How do you-"
"Magic, it's not hard to track down…you on the other hand" he gave laughs that sent a shiver down her spine.
"Look, just…I'm walking in a forest, trying to get to the next village. I met a mermaid, a pirate. A stupid tree just tried to attack me."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Oh you can't the truth from me dearie. It's written across your face. You love it."
"What are you ta-"
"You love it. The pirates, the mermaids, the trees…" he stepped closer touching her hair ever so slightly. "Even me. That gleam has yet to leave your eyes my dear."
"What's your name." she asked softly. He smiled and back up giving a bow.
"Rumplestilksten, at your service."
"Lilly…"
"Lovely name."
"I've always hated it." She sat on a rock. He was well dressed. Obviously wealthy and an air of….confidence. He was right…she was loving it. Her life had been in danger twice…and she loved every minute of it.
"Then change it my dear. With the time you have left that is."
"What do you mean time I have left?"
"The magic dearie. It's wearing off. You'll soon go back to your world. In three-"
"No"
"No?"
"I'm not going back." He seemed to smile.
"That I can help you with. With a price. After all, all magic comes with a price."
"How?"
"I can make it that you can stay. No disappearing back into your world…however. You can never go back."
"Done"
"So quick! But that is not the price dearie. Just an effect. You can never go back ever. No magic can change that once you make that decision. It does have one other side effect, but my guess is that you won't mind." There was a twinkle in his eye.
"What's the price then?"
"Your hair! Such a lovely rich color…It's not like it won't grow back dearie. I would say my offer is most generous. You get the life you always wanted and get something to make yarn out of." Yarn. That's what he wanted her hair for? Lily paused.
"That's all?"
"That's all. Unless you want to give me that necklace of yours dearie?" He smiled as he looked down. Lily's silver necklace hung around her neck. It was more a pendant than a necklace. It was a simple sword. A present from her mother as a child.
"The hair is fine." Her voice was firm. Sound…determined, yet a hint of happiness. Lily held out her hand and then before her eyes a knife appeared in her hands. Her heart jumped a bit which only made him giggle more.
"You'll have to get used to all MAGIC dearie. You stick out like a sore thumb. You wouldn't want to get…taken advantage off."
"I will. I'm not some….innocent.-" Cut.
"Naïve" Cut.
"Child!" She cut the hair giving her what her guardian would call a "boy's cut". He didn't respond to her half rant but only gleefully took the hair giving her a bottle of a liquid in return.
"Drink this, and all your dreams will come true, Lily."
She looked at the bottle before pulling the cork out of the bottle. "Call me by my middle name."
"And what would that be dearie?"
"Peter"