Arista took a deep breath. Beads of anxious sweat dampened her leather headband, but she kept her shoulders back. Channeling everything her eldest sister had taught her, she held her head high and back straight. With the poise of a queen, she entered her master's study.
Too focused on his spinning wheel, Rumplestiltskin didn't notice her presence until the young woman delicately cleared her throat. He still didn't look up. "Yes, what is it, Arista?"
"Mr. Rumplestiltskin…you know I have the utmost respect for you."
The imp closed his eyes tightly. Sighing, he kept his foot moving over the pedal. "Oh, I do not like where this is going."
She chanced a few steps closer. Fingers caressing the bottom of her scaled dress, the mermaid kept her chin up and gaze cool. "I know you want to keep me safe and I appreciate your concern, but I am a grown woman." A bit more harshly, she added, "And you are not my father."
Rumplestiltskin blinked and looked over at her from behind his wheel.
With his attention now on her and not the thin string between his fingers, Arista inclined her head gratefully. When he turned to face her fully, she continued, "You gave me these legs for a purpose. To do jobs for you and since I've returned from Neverland, all I've done is clean."
The Dark One chuckled in an attempt to dissuade her mood. "And here I thought you-"
"Let. Me. Finish." The air around the mermaid seemed to crackle with electricity, or more likely rage. Her brown eyes narrowed as she told him, "I am not a child to be coddled. I am not your slave. I am a servant to a master who has not kept his word."
Rumplestiltskin arched a brow, curious but not at all pleased. "And?"
With a lick of her lips, Arista finished, "And if you are not going to use me to my full potential, I see no point in continuing with this arrangement."
The Dark One stood. Surprised and quite frankly offended, he sneered at her. "How dare you. I gave you exactly what you wanted, little mermaid. I got you out of that pond. I got you away from that dreadful island full of brutish children. I got you out from under the thumb of that overbearing father of yours."
Arista stiffened at the mention of her father.
Grinning wickedly, the imp leaned forward. Face inches from hers, he took her chin between his sickly fingers and squeezed. She barely winced, her gaze sharp as it had ever been as her master taunted, "Did you really think I didn't know who you are, dearie?"
"It doesn't matter," the mermaid told him curtly. "The deal had nothing to do with my father or even legs, Mr. Rumplestiltskin. You promised me adventure…" A smile curled over her lips. It wasn't mocking, not quite, but certainly cold. "And gainful employment, which so far has been rather neither gainful nor fulfilling."
Rumplestiltskin pulled back his hand, eying her thoughtfully.
At his silence, the young woman sighed. Gently taking his arms, she tilted her head to meet his glare with sad eyes. "You offered me freedom and I've been given a cage, Mr. Rumplestiltskin. I am so sick of being in a cage. I don't want to leave, but I will if I must."
Curling his lips back, the Dark One growled as he batted her hands away. "You ungrateful-"
"No!" Arista shook her head fiercely, her blonde hair moved around her face. "I cannot express the gratitude, the respect I have for you!" She suddenly beamed at him then, making the imp recoil slightly at the sudden change in mood. Still, it was very hard not to consider her a child as she gushed, "You have given me a truly wonderful gift, Mr. Rumplestiltskin! To be able to explore a whole new world, a new culture, it's an honor, sir."
Rumplestiltskin let out a sigh. With a roll of his eyes, he pursed his lips. The girl seemed sincere and almost painfully young as she peered up at him with hope and fondness and a surprising lack of fear, given her earlier boldness.
Letting her hands catch his, Arista lessened the edge in her voice. "But you haven't given me a chance to explore it. I want to prove myself to you- I'm worth more than this. I can do more than this. Let me try. I won't disappoint you."
He considered a moment. Pulling his hands from hers, he spun around on his heel. With his back to her, Rumplestiltskin let some of the dread drip into his features. The idea of sending his little assistant out on her own was a daunting one, but if it would shut her up, he supposed there was no harm in it. If a task was what she wanted, the Dark One would give her one. A smile wormed over his lips. Tapping his chin, he turned to face her. "Very well. Let's make a deal, shall we?"
Some of the coolness returned to the mermaid's gaze. "We already did. This is your chance to make good on it." At his frown, Arista quirked up the corner of her mouth. "You're a man of your word, Mr. Rumplestiltskin. I know you are. Let me prove to be a woman of mine."
He smirked knowingly. "Is this because I won't let you see that silly Hatter of yours?"
As she crossed her arms over her chest, the maiden told him curtly, "I'll see the Hatter if I damn well please."
"I've never known someone to get so emboldened over a rose before."
Tilting her head, Arista leaned casually against his desk. Fiddling with her fingertips, she asked, "I thought you wanted me to work with Jefferson?"
"That was before I found out you were fertile." He frowned at her. "Not to mention incompetent."
"I'm competent!" She jerked away from the desk with a huff. "What happened in Neverland wasn't my fault!"
"So it was Jefferson's?"
"Yes!" Arista cringed and shook her head. "No. Well, sort of." Under her breath, she muttered, "Stupid Lost Boys."
"I'm sure you'll come to find that all boys are stupid, dearie. Lost or not." Rumplestiltskin snickered. "Jefferson is no exception."
At her disapproving murmur, the man thoughtfully tapped his cheek. He supposed now would be a good time to rip out her heart…but a much more devious thought came to mind. If he indulged her and she failed, he needn't resort to such extremes. As tempting it was to have his servant be obedient, it would also make her rather dull- and he would much rather her have a bit of a rebellious streak than be boring. After a moment, the Dark One hummed and turned on his heel. "Very well, dearie. If it's a task you want, I shall provide."
Eyes bright with excitement, Arista ran to him. Clutching his arm, she shook it and bounced as she shrieked, "Really?! You mean it?!"
"But should you fail, we never speak of this again, agreed?"
The young woman faltered. Smile fading, an expression of grim determination crossed her features. It was almost amusing, but Rumplestiltskin didn't dare laugh as she nodded. "Agreed."
"Good." He grinned before sauntering toward his book case. "I'll draw you up a map. Best you go pack, dearie, this will be quite a trip."
"Where am I going?"
Rumplestiltskin didn't look at her, just replied with a brisk, "Camelot."
"Camelot?" Arista repeated curiously. "What's that?"
He glanced at her and spread out a map across his desk. "A village. Well, a kingdom." Dipping his quill in a vial of ink, the Dark One began to blot out a complicated pathway on the thin paper. "There's a woman who lives there- in the water. I need something from her."
"What?"
"A strand of her hair." Rumplestiltskin smirked wickedly at her. "If you can get that for me, I'll give you all the freedom you desire."
The woman frowned. "And if I can't, I get a cage."
"Your words." He nodded toward the door. "Go pack."
Arista nodded and was sent on her way in under an hour.
The forest was a daunting place for someone who had grown up underwater. It was dark and crowded with trees and various animals that peeked out at her from behind the brush. Still, the soft song of the birds overhead was a comfort; a constant that reminded her of the ones from Neverland. This in mind, she supposed the forest wasn't so different from the one in her homeland. Maybe a little bigger and a little more intimidating, but most importantly; it was new.
Adjusting the strap on her shoulder, she checked her map. She didn't totally understand how to use it and couldn't quite read any of the strange letters or coordinates her master had written on it. Still, Arista was confidant. She followed the sun for most of the day, just as Rumplestiltskin had told her. Most of the terrain was rocky and uphill, but the young woman was too excited to care about the pain in her legs or the way her ankles occasionally locked up.
There was too much to see. Too many different species of trees and flowers and while she wasn't stupid enough to touch any of them, she was still fascinated by them. By the buzzing of insects and the strange furry creatures that darted about the pathway. By the birds that fluttered down onto branches that were lined with strange silken webs. By the leaves that fluttered to the ground and the dirt under her feet.
As the sun slowly began to lower over her head, Arista decided to give into the pain in her feet. It felt as though she had been forced to dance on the blade of a knife and it was time to give her aching body a rest. With the river marked on the map only a few feet away, the young woman decided to make camp for the night. Once she found a suitable tree, the young woman slung off her satchel and eased down against the trunk.
With a sigh, the blonde rested her head a moment. The air was humid and warm. Peaceful, in the setting sun. A smile pulled at her lips. True, she was exhausted, but Arista had never felt quite so content as she peered at the steady rush of water from river only a stone's throw away. Forcing herself to stand, she grabbed her bag and approached the water. Once the grass gave way to the stones of the riverbed, the mermaid allowed herself to sit once more.
Frowning, the mermaid pulled off her boots. Her feet were littered with bright red blisters and she winced as she prodded at them. Having never experienced them before, they were slightly worrying. Not worrying enough to turn back, of course. With a hiss that was a combination of pain and relief, Arista dipped her feet into the stream. The water was cold and her eyes fluttered as it rushed over her aching skin.
Her fingers found the seashell necklace Rumplestiltskin had given her and she stroked the cone with thought. Regardless of what her master may think of her, Arista wasn't an idiot. She knew he had given her the roundabout directions, expecting her to give up and summon him for help. Flexing her toes, she sighed and flopped back onto the shore.
A smile spread across her lips as the stars slowly peeked out from the sky. They were different than the ones she was used to, she noticed, and that made them all the more beautiful. Fingers finding the leather of her satchel, she opened it and fished out an apple. It was one of the red ones, one of the ones Regina had gifted her with during her last visit. Biting into it, Arista closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the cool breeze and chilly water as it took the ache from her skin. The sweet tang on her tongue was a good distraction and she didn't notice the man sneaking up to her makeshift camp.
"Don't move."
The maiden blinked at the voice. Curious, she tilted her head back to find a man a few feet away from her. At least, she thought it was a man. It was hard to tell with humans. His hair was short, suggesting a warrior, but his face was free of stubble and his lashes long. Rolling onto her stomach, she sat up. Feet still in the river, she asked, "Can I help you?"
He flashed the knife in his hands at her. The mermaid didn't miss how it wavered, unsteady and inexperienced as he demanded, "You can hand over any jewels or gold you have on you."
She blinked at him once more. Sensing an opportunity, she flipped her long hair over her shoulder. "I don't have anything like that." Picking up her satchel, she opened it for him to see. "I only have some food…I'd be happy to share it with you, if you'd like?"
The man faltered and stepped a bit closer. In the dim light of the moon, she could see he was raggedly dressed in tattered trousers and a dirty tunic and offered him a smile.
Motioning with her hand, she went on, "It's not much, but there's enough for the both of us. I have some bread and cheese and a bit of wine. Come sit with me. Please?"
"You…" He faltered where he stood. Slipping the knife into the sheath on his hip, he approached her cautiously. "This is all you have?"
"Well, I had an apple but I'm afraid you showed up too late to share it." Arista lifted the piece of fruit up for him to see the bite mark in it. "Sorry."
"And you're all alone out here?"
The mermaid's smile widened, as innocent and helpless as she could convey. "Yes. It's my first time in the forest on my own. My master said it's a test."
The young man frowned and stepped closer still. "Your master? You're a servant?"
"Mhm. Here," She ripped the loaf of bread in half and offered it to him. "Eat. I feel just awful not having more to share with you…"
He hesitantly took it from her. As he moved to sit beside her at the shore line he asked what she was doing in the wood. "I mean, this is no place for a lady."
"I'm to go to Camelot for him. If I secure a precious item, I'm to be set free." It was an oversimplification for a simple man, Arista supposed, but she felt no shame in lying to him. He had, after all, pulled a knife on her. If he could use weapons, so could she. Batting her lashes innocently, she took a bite of her apple. "And you?"
"I live here." He popped his eyebrows up and righted his ragged jacket lapel with pride. "Name's Will. Will Scarlett, at your service."
"Arista." She smiled with a nod. A bit sheepishly, she lifted a shoulder. "No last name yet."
They shook hands.
The woman went on, ignoring the guilty expression he wore as she sighed. "It must be wonderful to live out here. It's so open and unrestricted."
He lifted a shoulder and smirked at her. "It's alright. There are worse places, I'm sure."
"There are," Arista told him with a hint of false bitterness. When Will looked at her questionably, she forced a smile and fiddled with the skin of her apple. Clearing her throat delicately, she waited for him to speak.
He didn't disappoint. Inching a bit closer to her, the young man bit his lip. "It's bad, where you're livin' at then?"
The blonde merely dropped her gaze.
"And gettin' to Camelot is your ticket outta there?"
Her eyes rose to his. She was the picture of a damsel in distress; from her sad cow eyes to her innocent expression, all wrapped up in her powder blue dress and brown corset (which covered her scaled dress from view). Inwardly, however, she couldn't have been more smug. It seemed as if human men were just as eager to save a vapid, helpless woman as mermen were. "That's what he promised."
Will took a bite of the bread she had given him. Chewing in a rather obnoxious manner, he nodded. "Then we've got to get you to Camelot, then, don't we darling?"
"I'm already on my way to-"
"Yeah," Will interrupted her with a roll of his eyes. Bobbing his head, he went on a bit sarcastically, "But given I followed your tracks headin' East and you wanna be headin' South, I'm guessin' someone gave you some bad directions." He stood and offered her his hand. "Come on, least I can do is send ya on in the right way."
Arista smiled at him. "I'd really appreciate that."
A/N: Shout out to my amazing beta, UnsightlyDreams! And sorry for the wait.
