"Hurry little one!"

Melina was already pushing herself to the limits, but at her brother's command, she sprinted faster, trying to keep up.

She wasn't worried about being left behind, because he always made certain that he wasn't too far ahead.

His pace began to slow, and finally stopped completely. She raced up to him, and leaned up against a cart, panting.

Their grins faded as as a loud old woman selling cloth scoffed. "I wonder what they're running from?"

The peddler in the booth across from her scrunched up her face in disgust. "Any one things as like as the other. He's shaping up real fine to be the village coward. As if we needed another one of those."

She gaped at the gossiping women, wondering how they could stand there and say such horrible things.

Rumple's hand closed over her shoulder, and nudged her gently on her way. She looked up him, and saw with dismay that his face was clouded in shame. She let him lead her a few steps, then ducked under his hand, quick as a flash, and raced over to the peddlers. "My brother is no coward! He's not afraid of anything!"

The blinked down at her in surprise, but instead of changing because of the truth she had just proclaimed to them, they both began to cackle loudly. "Poor little thing. Doesn't have the sense she was born with."

Rumple's voice spoke quietly from behind her. "There's no need ta insult the girl."

The cloth peddler flashed a smile to her friend. "What's the matter, lad? Afraid I'll ask ya to fight me?"

Again, his hand closed over her shoulder, and this time, she let him lead her away, eyes stinging with tears. She looked up at him, shaking her head. "Why do they do that?"

He gave her a kind smile. "There aren't many people in the market yet, and they just want ta amuse themselves. Don't listen to them."

It was impossible not to. Especially since all the street peddles were turning to jeer at them as they walked past, haste forgotten now that they'd made it to town.

She clenched her fists, bristling with anger. They were the ones without sense. Rumple was better than the lot of 'em. He didn't like to fight. Why was that so horrible? They hadn't liked Poppa either, before he'd sold them for his freedom four years ago. Her heart clenched up at the memory. Rumple had been so upset, but it had been such a relief. All she could remember what that the huge, scary man had smelled badly, and wanted to hit her, often settling for beating on her brother instead when he rushed to her rescue. Didn't they understand? And she could not, for the life of her, figure out why they called her father a coward. He'd loved to fight. All that yelling, and hitting and throwing… how could they accuse Rumple of that?

Suddenly he flashed a grin down at her. "We did it!"

She looked where he was pointing, and let him coax a little smile out of her. The sweets peddler was just setting up his little cart, and they'd beaten the hoards of children.

The candy looked, and smelled so delicious in a place where nearly everything else smelled like dirt.

"Pick one. Any of them."

She glanced at him, uncertain. "For pretend?"

He laughed, and ran his fingers through her hair, but his eyes winced at her question. "Not today. We've got a little extra today."

She looked back at the cart with renewed interest. They'd actually get to taste one of the colorful little things in the jar.

"Go on. You've got first pick."

The man had stopped watching them so warily when Rumple mentioned the few precious coins they had. She felt guilty to be spending any of them on something that she could only eat once, but the treats were too tempting, and if Rumple said it was okay, then it must be.

She looked the candy over carefully, and finally pointed to a white stick that had colors swirled around it. The man waited for Rumple to hand over the small coin, and then gave her the treat.

She smiled, waiting for her brother to pick, but he turned, and started walking towards the mill.

"Rumple?"

He turned around, a worried frown in place. "Did you change your mind?"

She shook her head. "What about yours?"

He smiled in relief, and shook his head. "Don't you worry over that. I'll get some latter."

She looked down at the candy in her hand. It had lost it's magical charm the second she realized that Rumple would only get a pretend piece.

He stooped down. "It's alright. You've earned that, working so hard."

"But…" the solution was so simple! Her joy came back as she snapped the stick in two, so glad that she hadn't chosen one of the thicker, round candies.

"That's for you."

She held it out. "Please Rumple? It would be like eating a whole coin!"

He studied her face, then took the candy. "Taste it."

She obeyed, eyes widening as it touched her tongue.

He laughed, pressing his half back into her palm. "You see? You're going to want to…"

She pushed it into his mouth giggling at the look on his face.

He took it to keep it from falling, and gave it another lick. "Well, that certainly tastes better than a pretend piece, doesn't it?"

She nodded happily as they walked along, the cruel peddlers forgotten for a time.