"Rumple, here I brought you something." Ella says as she pulls out a book from under her apron.
He took it. "Ah a novel. You miss the finer things when you don't have them anymore."
"What does it say on it?" She asked him as she sat on a chair she smuggled in.
He raised his brow, curious. "What do you mean?"
"I mean what is the title? Why?" She looked at him nervously.
"Ella, can you read?"
"Uh, uh of course I can. I mean everybody is able to right?" She stuttered out and looked away from him.
"Ah, you poor girl. Do you want me to teach you?" He asked, with pity in his eyes.
"What's the catch?" She asked him skeptical.
He smiled at her. "No catch, only your company."
"Okay," She sighed deeply."I'll tell you the truth. My step-mother didn't want me to learn anything beyond what I knew. And anything new that I did learn is how to clean faster and survive on the bare minimum."
He sat silent, contemplating of what she said. he made a gesture for her to keep going.
"So I can read a little bit. Mostly a grocery list and if it says "Sale"" She laughed dryly.
"Hmm, at least you know some words. Don't worry. Learning it is much easier when you have some practice." He smiled at her. "Here we'll practice with this book."
They spent some time going over some of the words. She felt happy with him. Time passed.
"Rumple, I'm sorry but I have to leave." She looked apologetic at him.
"Hmm, why?"
"The castle is gettting ready for the arrival of..." She became silent.
"Your replacement." He said and she nodded. "Fine, will I see you later?"
She smiled. "Duh, you don't even have to ask that. I'll see you in a couple of hours."
She stood up to leave and took one last look at him, smiling, and left.
Rumplestiltskin smiled to himself. "Such a nice girl. Life would have been easier on the both of us if her parents would've given her to me."
He lied down. "That future that I see so nearly in my grasp. The life that I want. Me and my beautiful wife."
