Briar Rose looked in the mirror at herself. Her hair was brushed and combed, her face washed of the evidence of the forest. She had been right about one thing; her father had made her a dress. It was of the gold silk she had seen. The sleeves were long and came to a point at the end of her hands. The shoulders were dropped and were topped with a fine white silk edge. The dress draped on the floor and her feet were adorned with gold slippers. But Rose was extremely unhappy.

"He is not my father." Rose whispered aloud. From behind she heard him approach, and he looked at her. In his hand he held a gold box.

"A gift from your parents, to be given on your sixteenth birthday," He opened it, revealing a gold tiara. He came up and set it atop my head. "There my Golden Rose," He said softly. "We leave within the hour." And with that he left me. I sat on my bed and continued to cry even more. I didn't want to be a princess, I only wanted Philip. All of my dreams of becoming his wife were at an end. I finally mustered up my courage to go downstairs and tell that man that I was not leaving with him. When I descended the stairs, I could not see him anywhere. He was not at his wheel, nor was he in his chambers. Then, a thought struck me. Perhaps there were some provisions or things I could take from his room and sell them on my way out of the cottage until I reached Philip. I pulled back the curtain to his chamber and saw very little. A small corner was full of spun gold and silk. Another was filled with books and other documents. As I walked towards the gold and silk a floorboard squeaked loudly beneath my foot. I took my foot off of it and saw it rise a bit. I pressed back down and saw it descend. Something was under it. I bent down and pried at the board. It came out, and when it did I almost gasped at what I saw. In a bed of straw was a black and grey dagger. I picked it up gently, and felt it weighing heavily in my hands. I looked at the words on it and read only a name: Rumpelstiltskin. Who was he? Did it have to do with the man who had been claiming to be my father?

I took the knife and quickly grabbed my cloak. Securing the knife inside my cloak I fastened the clasp and pull the hood over my head. Appearing in the doorway, my 'father' nodded to me.

"It's time, Briar Rose." He said. I only walked forward and followed him through the forest. The sun was setting quickly, and he walked at a fast pace. When it grew darker, the man produced a lamp. During the journey, Rose had time to think about how she was going to plan this. She just stopped along the trail, waiting for him to turn around. When he did, he ushered her on.

"We're not stopping Rose." He stated firmly. "Come, we haven't got time."

"I know who you are." Rose said defiantly. "Rumpelstiltskin," She growled. Rumpelstiltskin took off his hood, his eye gleaming.

"And how did you discover that bit of information?" He inquired.

"From this," Rose pulled out the knife from beneath her cloak, holding it high. It gleamed in the moonlight, and it seemed to anger Rumpelstiltskin.

"Where did you get that?" he demanded.

"That doesn't matter. Tell me who you really are!" Rose demanded. Rumpelstiltskin took a step forward and Rose pointed it. But not at him, at herself.

"I'm not going to the castle until you tell me who you are!"

"Let's not be hasty," Rumpelstilstkin said calmly. "I'll tell you, if you give me the knife." Rose shook her head.

"I'm not a simpleton like you think I am. I'm not giving you anything until you tell me!" She declared, lowering the knife closer to her gut. Rumpelstiltskin backed up a bit and began to speak.

"Rumpelstiltskin, at your service," he said bowing to Rose. "I took you from your parents sixteen years ago as a bargain for something they wanted. Now that the time is up, you are to be given back to your parents. You can live happily ever after or whatever you want." Rumpelstiltskin showed his pointed teeth. "Happy? Now give me the dagger Rose." He asked reaching forward, but Rose wouldn't give up so easily.

"Why-why did they give me to you?" Rumpelstilstkin looked a little hurt by her notion.

"Did I not raise you to be a good girl?" He asked. "Did I not soothe your sickness and tell you stories?" He glowered at her. "Did I not give you everything you ever wanted?"

"Kept secrets, and lied to me! You kept me locked away in that cottage my whole life!"

"And you deceived me and snuck out every night." Rumpelstiltskin countered.

"So that I could have a single ounce of freedom! Haven't you ever wanted that?" Rose asked. Rumpelstiltskin didn't answer her. He did want his freedom, but he had no way of getting it.

"Briar Rose, give me the dagger." He growled. Rose looked down at the dagger and then threw it far between the trees, taking off in the opposite direction. Rumpelstiltskin roared at the outburst. He needed his dagger, but he couldn't let Rose get lost in the woods. Especially not with her curse so close to being fulfilled. He ran after his knife searching for it when he discovered it. When he looked up Rose was already too far ahead.