A/N Normal disclaimer applies.
Still not much going on yet. Sorry :(
The Beast in the Library
Ellena Bouquin
According to daytime television, rich people in America are followed around by a little group of moochers and fake-friends, hoping to have their loyal friendship rewarded with a new Ferrari or kitchen even as they gossip about their 'friend' behind their backs. This didn't really seem all that accurate to Ellena, although TV isn't all that trustworthy in her opinion. She didn't have any friends, and the only person who followed her around was Dove. And Dove, in fact, only follows her around because some guy whose name she can't remember went after her with her crowbar for no reason at all (that she'd recently repossessed his house and left him, his wife and their teen-aged daughter homeless had nothing to do with it, she's sure). Now she has a bodyguard to make sure she doesn't lose anymore teeth. He's just there at important social functions, not that Storybrooke has all that many, and she doesn't need him around much; as mentioned, people don't often approach her.
To be honest this was a bit of an issue, considering she ran the Library, but still. Better they avoid her than have a bunch of old ladies and five-year-olds interrupt her lazy day. The town Library is a surprisingly nice place to be for Ellena, especially considering how much she hates books. She only runs it because she needs a legitimate business in town and this is the only one that came with an apartment attached (she needs as many apartments available as possible on land she owns, in case someone comes to stay in town). It's nice to have somewhere people can find her, too. That way, if they emdo/em have the courage to approach her, they don't ruin her lunch by marching up to her at the diner.
Ellena didn't consider herself an intimidating person; so far from it, in fact, it was ridiculous. She was a measly 5 feet 2 inches tall, a height increased only marginally by her heels, and her long brunette hair and big blue eyes made her look a bit too much like some Disney Princess for her own liking. Her clothing was serious and usually dark, but the effect was ruined by faint laugh lines that she didn't remember ever smiling enough to earn. She had a single gold tooth, a canine, but that was the only thing about her that was odd, appearance-wise. People focused far more on her incredibly thick accent. Ellena was noticeably French, and one would think her name would give that away, but it seemed no-one in town was well-versed in foreign languages, with the odd exception. She had been born in Rouen, a town no-one seemed to have heard of, and had moved to the states not ten years prior. Within no time at all the States had ruined her once laid-back personality, the town was hers to own and control, the Library tabooed zone for everyone else, and thus a quiet place for her to kick back.
But with no-one coming in there's nothing to do at the Library all day, so most of Ellena's days are spent harassing the Mayor, confusing Mr Glass, and trying to disturb the local nuns as much as possible. As well as discussing new knitting techniques with Irene, but the town doesn't need to know about her soft spot for the old woman. On rent day she prowls around town, terrorising the citizens and death glaring the florist who never seems to make his payment in time. The nuns suffer especially on this day, and Mother Superior has taken to sending Sister Astrid to the edge of the property with the rent each week. This way Ellena interacts with the only nun she can tolerate (since Sister Astrid is hopelessly adorable), and the infamous 'Demon of Storybrooke' does not make it onto sacred church property. Every week Ellena will place her foot over the property's border, just to watch Mother Superior scowl from the dusty window.
The day after rent day Granny is especially terse, late payments are chased down (she is dangerously close to confiscating French's van), she visits Leroy in jail since that is where he spent the night (and he always fails to cough up the cash, although she secretly has a soft spot for him too), and then the rest of the month is open. Harassing the Mayor is definitely one of her favorite things to do. Last week she and Dove picked all of the snow drops and snow bells the pair could find and then she had him decorate the Mills' office with them whilst she was with her son. The look on the Mayor's face when Miss Blanchard complimented her on her new flowery perfume, no doubt the left over fragrance, made the whole thing perfect. Ellena was in a good mood for the rest of the day.
Interactions with young Henry Mills, aforementioned son, usually ruin the rest of the day, however; the boy's cheerful nature is constant and irritating. Recently, though, he'd seemed a little preoccupied. Since he was one of the few who actually dared enter the Library she had ample opportunity to study him, and in the recent months he'd been reading a new book (something about fairy tales, she didn't really care), and it seemed to be distressing him. That mixed with his therapy sessions and the probing questions he would ask everyone he ran into (do you have any step-sisters? how about frogs, do you have a pet frog?) she was almost worried.
That he didn't show up for his therapy session with Doctor Hopper yesterday only has her more concerned. Ellena had seen a stranger in town throughout the day today, no doubt the birth mother he was so desperate to find. A tall blonde, all long legs and red leather. She looked like the type to cause trouble, which was an issue for Ellena as the town's wealthiest citizen. Didn't want to have to keep providing funding for new town signs. She shook her head. She didn't have time for such concerns, which frankly weren't hers to have. She shelved the last few books in the box she held, and prepared to lock up. Today was rent day, and she knew for a fact Mrs Lucas was at least $100 behind this month.
A/N Thank-you everyone who has read and enjoyed so far, and those of you who have chosen to follow either myself or this story *hugs!*, and welcome back everyone from last time (such as Grace, hi Grace!)