RECAP: Charming, Aurora, and Mulan are traveling to the beanstalk to find a way to save Phillip. Charming has just encountered an ogre and was knocked to the ground by it. Read and enjoy!
Chapter Nine - Charming:
Charming's eyes opened suddenly. From the ground, the only thing he could do was roll away from the ogre's fists. He looked up into the unseeing eyes of the creature, and the cold chill of death went down his spine. He managed to get his feet back under him, and stood defensively. What he wouldn't give for a sword, but the best he could manage was a flaming branch from the fire.
"Are you going to try again, you filthy ogre? Know this; I will take back my kingdom for you!" Charming shouted, trying to lead the ogre away from Mulan and Aurora, who were amazingly still asleep.
The ogre raised its fists again, and Charming got a swing in at one arm with the stick. Unfortunately, the other arm was still in motion and came down hard on Charming's left arm. He heard an unpleasant cracking sound and instinctively knew that his arm was broken. The ogre came at him again, and he lifted the stick one-handed, but didn't have the strength to really swing it. The ogre roared again, and Charming prepared himself to defend against the attack.
"Hey! Over here!" Mulan shouted, now completely awake, with Aurora sitting up sleepily behind her. She held her sword high, then rushed at the creature.
Charming tried to get out of the way, but he wasn't quick enough. Instead, Mulan used him as a springboard to plunge her sword directly in the beast's eye. The ogre let out a last, pitiful groan, then fell down.
Charming let out his own groan, then sat down on the ground hard. The absence of adrenaline coursing through his veins made him very aware of the pain in his arm.
"What did you think you were doing? That ogre could have killed you!" Mulan said.
Charming grimaced, holding his arm gingerly to try to stop the pain. "I'm sorry, but I didn't exactly invite him. Would you have preferred that I didn't try to stop him? If I had just had my sword, I would have been able to get rid of it all on my own."
Aurora rushed over, the sleepiness gone from her face. "Mulan, Charming, are you okay?"
"The ogre's gone, no thanks to him."
"Charming, what happened to your arm?" Aurora asked, ignoring Mulan's comment.
"The ogre smashed it. I think the bone might be broken," Charming said.
Aurora gasped and knelt down next to him. "What can I do? Is there any blood? Can I do something for the pain?"
Charming tried to stand up, but the movement jolted his shoulder and a small scream of pain came out.
"Here, let me help you." Aurora stood on his left side and carefully helped lift him, one hand on his back and the other on his chest.
"Don't worry about him. He should be fine in just a moment," Mulan said.
"How can you be so cold Mulan? Can't you see how much pain he's in?" Aurora asked.
"Please, Aurora. I will be okay, as long as I get my arm in some sort of splint soon. Get two thick, straight sticks, and tear up that scrap of fabric."
Aurora followed the instructions and brought the materials over to Charming. He winced, trying not to appear weak again in front of Mulan. If he hadn't suspected before, her behavior since destroying the ogre would be enough to know she didn't like him.
He used his right arm to hold his left as straight as possible. "Give me one of the sticks," he said.
When Aurora handed it to him, he placed it on the inside of his arm. Aurora followed his lead and put the other stick opposite. Charming thought about how this would be easier if Mulan helped, but neither he nor Aurora was willing to ask. Eventually, the two managed to get the splint together. Aurora also made a sling for Charming, but he didn't see the need, and again refused for Mulan to see anything but perfection in him from now on.
"You should get some rest now. I'll take watch," Aurora said.
"No, you sleep. We can't afford any more mistakes tonight, so I'll stay up," Mulan said. She walked away from the two, sword up and alert as she scanned their perimeter.
"Is she always like this?" Charming asked. He tried to take the suggestion and sleep, but he would have killed for some Tylenol right now.
"No. I don't know why she's been acting so weird lately. She's normally quite demanding, but not like this," Aurora said, settling down in her own bed.
"So it's just me she hates," Charming said.
"Quiet," Mulan hissed. "We don't want another ogre attack!"
Charming shrugged, and lay down on his back, holding his left arm gently on his chest. His determination to not move made it difficult to fall asleep, along with the ever present pain. When he finally did manage to sleep, it was light and fitful. Every tiny movement woke him up, and eventually he gave up on sleep all together, i
nstead opting for admiring the stars high above. He recalled years spent sleeping out of doors during lambing season, waiting for the new arrivals. He had made his own pictures in the stars, and he saw some of them again tonight - a tiny sunflower, a huge pirate ship, a dog, a house. Some cursed memories returned, reminding him of the "real" constellations, not that they existed in this world.
Gradually, the tiny dots faded as a purple light emerged in the East. Charming watched the sunrise creep peaceful and majestic over the land. In the early dawn moments, it was easy to forget about everything that was going wrong - the separation from his family, the ogres, Gold, and anything else that wasn't right. But the first rays of light rested on the ogre Mulan killed last night, and Charming sat up quickly, testing his arm carefully. The major pain was gone, but it was definitely still sore.
"Ready to go?" Mulan asked, her blankets already stowed and a meal cooking over the fire.
"Just give me a minute to pack my things." Working one handed, he slowly managed to get the blankets and supplies into the pack, albeit rather lumpy.
Aurora was still sleeping, and neither Charming nor Mulan moved to wake her. Their protective nature towards her was at least one thing they actually had in common. Charming hoped that her staying asleep would give him some time to get to know Mulan better and break through whatever it was that she didn't like about him.
"How long have you and Aurora been traveling together?" he asked.
"A few weeks," Mulan said.
Charming waited to see if she would offer any more information. Unfortunately, she was not very talkative. "You seem to be very protective of her. I would have thought you two have known each other for years."
Mulan continued to be focused on the meal rather than their conversation. "That smells delicious," he said, hoping a compliment would be better received.
"It's rat," she said, aware that the compliment had been a ploy.
Aurora rolled over and sat up. "Oh, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I'll be ready to go in a minute," she said.
"No need. I was just preparing some breakfast. We're in no hurry," Mulan said.
Aurora smiled and began carefully preparing her supplied. "Oh, Charming, how is your arm this morning?" she asked.
"Slightly better. I wouldn't say no to some painkillers, but it's not terrible."
"Painkillers?" Aurora asked.
"Medicine from the land I came from. Don't worry about it."
Aurora noticed the state of Charming's pack. "Do you want me to rearrange your bag? It looks terribly uncomfortable right now."
Charming shook his head. Having Aurora do everything for him was never going to earn him the respect he needed from Mulan.
"Don't be silly. Doing things one handed can't be easy," Aurora said.
Charming caught Mulan muttering something that sounded like "Hook did it." He wasn't going to justify that comment with a retort. Being compared to Hook, and found lacking, was not the greatest boost to his ego. Neither was Aurora's insistence on repacking his supplied, but she was already done by the time he noticed it.
Breakfast was a tense affair, no one was really talking, and the rat was so chewy that their mouths were moving loudly in the silence.
"We should get going," Mulan said, stamping out the fire. Aurora stood immediately and grabbed her pack. Charming tried to stand, but every way he tried to shift put uncomfortable pressure on his arm and shoulder.
"Here," Aurora said, holding out her hand. Charming was reluctant, but finally accepted this was probably the most dignified way he would stand. Mulan had already begun walking, and Aurora and Charming jogged to catch up.
Four hours later, the trio crested a hill, and Charming caught his first look of a fully grown beanstalk. It was both impressive and full of hope for him. One day, Storybrooke would be filled with these, and he and his family would make this realm a beautiful place again.
"It's no less ominous than it was last time," Aurora said.
Charming was surprised by her serious tone. "Don't you know what a beanstalk like this means? These beans are the most reliable way to travel through the realms. If there were still beans present, I could bring everyone back and the ogres would be gone in months, maybe even weeks!"
Aurora and Mulan were unconvinced by Charming's enthusiasm.
"There are no more beans. There are still treasures up at the top however. Aurora and I will go up, you will stay here with our things. Is there really no longer a giant at the top?" Mulan asked.
"Hey! I am not just staying and watching the stuff. I'm going to the top with you!" Charming said.
"No. With your arm, you'll slow us down. This is our journey, and we will be the ones to find the answer. You don't have to remain at the bottom. You can begin your own journey if you'd like," Mulan said.
"No! I'm coming up that beanstalk. It is the best chance for me to find a way back to my world."
"Mulan, he can do it. Besides, it's not as if someone has to stay behind," Aurora said.
Mulan turned her back on Charming, waiting a long time before giving a response. "If you fall behind, we will not wait for you," she finally said.
Charming nodded. He glanced up, trying to assess an appropriate route. Mulan and Aurora both grabbed onto vines hesitantly, hoping not to be repelled immediately.
"We weren't thrown back - that's a good sign," Aurora said.
"Let's just hope the enchantment isn't at the very top, or else this journey will be a long way for nothing," Mulan said.
Charming struggled to climb one-handed, though it was manageable. He fell into a pattern of climbing between the vines and beanstalk, letting the thick vegetation and selection of deep footholds support him as he found another vine. It was not a quick journey by any means, but Aurora was not a quick climber either, helping to keep the group together for the most part.
They had been traveling for two hours, the ground far below them, when Charming didn't know if he had the strength to go on. His right arm was burning from the exertion, and his legs were shaking. He leaned back on her current vine for a second longer than usual. Without any warning, the vine snapped, and Charming was falling freely through the air.