Rumpel was patient with my mourning for three days. On the fourth morning, I was startled by my door banging open and him yanking out of bed. "Get up."
"Go away." I pulled my hair out of my face and glared at him.
"You have duties to attend to." Rumpel reminded me.
"My mother just died." I snapped, rubbing my eyes.
"Yes and you've had your time to grieve." Rumpel glowered at me. Juliet scampered behind him, collecting clothes and laying them out on my bed. "Get dressed."
"What exactly do you expect from me?" I asked, not moving to get dressed. I wasn't about to change while he was in the room.
"I expect you to familiarize yourself with my kingdom and my people. They'll not accept you as queen unless they know you." Rumpel turned on his heel and left, leaving the door open. I slammed the door behind him, mostly just to make a point. I got dressed, opting for the pair of hiking boots Emily had given me for my last birthday instead of my normal tennis shoes. As much as Rumpel irritated me, I could use some fresh air. Hiking always cleared my head better than anything else, thanks to my dad. He was a big outdoorsman and since he had me and no son, I was taken with him on his trips as soon as I could walk. I didn't mind though, I liked spending time with him and being outside gave me a sense of clarity that nothing else could.
I wasn't familiar with the flora and fauna of this world, whatever it was, so I picked up the guidebook I had swiped from Aurora's library. Escaping the castle felt like a weight was lifted from my chest and I wandered the woods that were surrounding the castle. I walked for a long time, enjoying the smell of trees and dirt, my skin soaking in the sunlight before I came to a lake. It was the kind of lake you saw on travel brochures, obnoxiously blue and inviting. I'd have to come back when I had my swimsuit on but I had been gone for hours and I was hungry. Finding my way back wasn't hard, and I was back in the castle, changing for dinner. My dad had always demanded cleanliness before we ate our meals but Rumpel insisted on clean, formal clothes and my body was expected to be scrubbed within an inch of its life.
That was how I found myself tangled in the ridiculous gown that Juliet dressed me in, my hair down around my shoulders. Rumpel and I stared each other down the length of the table, eating quietly.
"Did you enjoy your walk?"
"It was better than being held prisoner." I quipped, cutting a piece of meat and putting it in my mouth. I chewed slowly, staring at him pointedly.
Rumpel took a sip of his wine and licked his lips as he set the goblet down. "We made a bargain and you agreed to the terms to save your friend. Do you think perhaps your resentment comes from any, shall we say, romantic feelings for the bird?"
"Diaval is my friend." I said quickly. "Nothing more."
"Then spare me the hostility." Rumpel's words were a demand and not a request. He got up and bowed at his waist, then exited the dining room.
-0-
The next day, I dressed in my favorite cut off shorts and tank top with my bikini underneath. It wasn't hard to find my way back to the lake and once I got there, I kicked off my tennis shoes and tossed my tank top and shorts to the ground. The water was warm as I waded in and I just let myself soak in the water for a minute. A voice from the shoreline broke through the silence.
"Ruby?"
I pushed my wet hair away from my face and shielded my eyes from the sun, barely making out the form on the grass. "Diaval? What are you doing here?"
"I-I was looking for you." Diaval stammered.
I swam to the shore and just stared at Diaval for a moment, emotions changing too quickly to really focus on one. Happiness, regret, sadness. "I'm sorry that I was gone."
He was smiling as he took my face in his hands and looked into my eyes. "It's all right now. I've found you and now we can return to Aurora's castle."
"Diaval-" I pulled away from his touch.
"We don't have to go to Aurora's, I suppose." Diaval watched as I put on my clothes, wringing my hair out. "We could build our own nest—erm, cottage and we could live there."
"I can't go with you." I said, placing a hand against his chest and making him stop moving. He took my hand in his and looked at me with an expression that I only ever saw in chick flicks: hopeful and loving.
"Of course you can." Diaval shook his head slightly, his smile not wavering. "You're my true love. You broke my curse."
"I broke your curse but it wasn't love."
"I don't understand." Diaval was the one to move away now. "You told me true love—-"
"I made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to save you." I cleared my throat. "In return, I'm to stay with him."
"But-"
"True love doesn't exist." I said. "And it can't save anyone."
"It does." Diaval told me and I paused in my hasty retreat to escape him. "I love you and I'll show you that you love me too."
"Goodbye, Diaval."
"I'll come back tomorrow. Right at this spot." Diaval promised.
I turned to tell him not to come, to go and live his life but he was gone; a lone raven lifting into the sky.
A/N: This chapter is not only short but late and I apologize for both. I had some family stuff to deal with. Thank you for reading, following,favoriting, and reviewing. Please feel free to leave a review on your way out. I love you guys!
