Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE ONCE UPON A TIME CHARACTERS THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNER.
ROSES HAVE THORNS
CHAPTER 1:
ROSE AND RUMPELSTILTSKIN
Rosalina walked to the beach towards the wooden castle; there she saw Henry sitting alone – he looked down and upset, he had short dark hair and hazel eyes; though he was only ten years old he was smart for his age as well as brave, he'd sneak out of Storybrooke to find and bring his birth mother: Emma Swan back and had succeeded. She stopped and took out her sketchbook and looked through the pictures; she had drawn; it had been a dream, she had drawn yesterday and she felt the need to draw the characters she'd seen – one in particular reminded her of herself, the character sat upon a black stallion, in a small town, her curly black hair tumbled over her shoulders she wore a blue cloak with a white dress-shirt underneath and black breeches; she sat confidently and proud, looking straight at the crippled man with the brown wavy hair that reached till his shoulders; he wore a brown vest...she had dreamed about his back only and that was all but as she traced the man, she felt like she was having a déjà vu, as if she was truly the woman in the drawing – she smiled and shook her head.
Ridiculous, as if I could be a character in a Fairytale – that'll be funny She thought with a sigh I allow my imagination to run too freely. She made her way to the wooden castle, not letting anything stand in her way into trying to cheer up Henry.
The man leaned on the stick he used to support his bad leg, he had wavy brown hair that reached till his shoulder – the cloak he wore was a bit torn which he wore on top of his brown vest as well as brown pants with black boots. His brown eyes watched the woman who smiled at him; he had for a moment looked behind him, making sure there wasn't anyone else but as she spoke again it was clear to him – that she had spoken to him – the town coward, he was speechless and shocked, everyone eyes were upon him now wondering what the stranger would want with the man.
"So can you make me a new silk cloak or not?" She repeated her question, then she climbed off her horse and made her way to the brown-haired man; she'd been told, that in this small town was a man known as Rumpelstiltskin, the man who ran from the Ogre Wars, the man whose wife left him because, she could not stand the sight of him anymore – the man who was now labeled – the town coward – but those things didn't matter to her – she needed a spinner, not a warrior, someone who can spin wool into silk for her.
"Rumpelstiltskin." She added and held out her hand "My name is Rose; it is a pleasure to meet you." she smiled, he tentatively raised his hand to shake hers.
"How do you know my name?" He let her hand go and step back watching her.
"That is a secret, so I'm still waiting can you help me or not?" She asked and he looked down.
"Yes, but it may take a while to make -" He quickly looked up "the w-wool tends to thin if you spin it too much but I'd be willing to make it for you, My lady." He said softly averting her gaze – he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked into her green eyes.
"Please, call me Rose – I'm not in a hurry nor do I care about the price – if that is what your worried about." She patted his shoulder and took her hand away, there was no disgust nor disdain in her eyes only warmth and kindness. Her family would have gotten a heart attack if they saw her talking – let alone – be so bold as to touch the shoulder of a peasant. Rose frowned she hated this status and title crap, they were the same regardless those useless extras. She was the black sheep in the family because she refused to hire a tailor to do her cloaks also because she insisted upon this journey without an escort. She had learned to stand up for herself regardless of what others told her, as well as being tough She was as her name; a rose with a sharp wit but her family also feared her because of her ability to control rose thorns; it was a curse at times because she had a few real friends – those friends who saw her ability ran and she never heard from them again.
"If it is possible Rumpelstiltskin, might you have room where I can stay until you have finished the cloak? I'm afraid I'm far from home and returning there would be a bother." She asked and the man watched her for a while considering all the options.
"You can stay here with me and my son if you like." He suggested and then turned around.
"That is very kind of you but, I don't want to impose upon you and your son."
"Please you are welcome follow me...Rose." He said and turned slightly to look at her again, before walking into his house, Rose smiled and then followed him.
"You are very kind, regardless of what others say Rumpelstiltskin."
He stopped before the flap that served as the door; shocked no one has ever complimented him before – all his life his been told that he'll always be a failure no matter what he did.
"Thank you – you yourself are also kind." He said and disappeared through the flap.
Rose smiled and followed close by walking into his little house, she was sure that this was a start of an interesting friendship between Rose and Rumpelstiltskin, but deep down she hoped that she could somehow escape the fate that her family had put upon her.
"Hey, Henry, why are you here so alone?" Rosalina asked as she sat next to him, he looked up at her then he looked down again.
" Because of the curse, Graham's dead - I just know it – good always loses no matter what because good has to play fair."
"True, but isn't that how a story often goes? Look I have something to show you – it might cheer you up." She encouraged and showed him the pictures, he took the sketchbook and looked through it – after awhile he looked up with a small smile as he handed the sketchbook back.
"It's you?"
"hahaha...I know it looks like me – I dreamed it." She touched the character of the man. "This man though is still a blur; a mystery – I have no idea who it might be." She sighed and then looked at Henry again. "Speaking of which have you figured out who Mr. Gold could be or do you need my help?" She offered him, he smiled up at her but she could still see he was in doubt, he had taken Graham's death the hardest and she knew he blamed it on the curse; he believed that everyone in Storybrooke was a Fairytale Character trapped here by the Evil Queen, but even so she hated seeing him so sad; he was young and didn't need to worry over something like that.
"No, I think it is best if you don't tamper anymore"
"Don't worry about such things – you are still a child and should have fun" She ruffled his hair "Tell you what I'll do – I'll try to figure out who Mr. Gold could be but I won't tell you or anyone else – in doing this I'm sure you'll enjoy it more once you have had some time off." She stood up and then turned to go.
"Rosa."
"Yes"
"Why do you believe me? Everyone else thinks I'm crazy." Henry asked and she turned slightly to face him with a small smile, she knew how that felt when people call you crazy for being different her parents where like that, they constantly judge her telling her to grow up and forget about her imagination but she never truly got along with them there where times she thought – no she knew – that they weren't her real parents, she didn't want Henry to give up just because of that which people say.
"Because, sometimes you should just believe in whatever you want to no matter what anyone says. You are you Henry, so don't you dare lose that imagination of yours."
"Ok."
"I'll see you again sometime – I have to collect my roses then go to see if I can't decode who Mr. Gold could be." She smiled and made her way down and across the sand – she waved goodbye to Henry as she passed Emma Swan.
"Was that Rosalina?" Emma asked when she come to Henry. Henry nodded even Rosalina told him to cheer up but he couldn't help but still feel it's his fault.
"Here kid." Emma said and held out some walkie talkies that Mr. Gold had given to her.
Author note: I just discovered the proof writing and I love it because it explains what you did wrong and what you should do to make it right.
