The Enchanted Forest - Past
I watched as my father, Belle, Gaston, and several others studied a map of nearby regions.
"Sir, there's news from the battlefield. Avonlea has fallen," the steward told him.
"Oh, my gods..." Father sighed.
"If only he had come..." Gaston said hugging Belle to him tightly.
"Well he didn't, did he?" Father asked crossing the room to the throne he'd once shared with his wife. "Ogres are not men." He sat and placed his head in his hand.
"We have to do something, we have to stop them," Gaston insisted as Belle crossed the room to Father.
"They are... unstoppable."
"He could be on his way right now, Papa." Belle knelt next to her father and grabbed his arm.
"It's too late, my girl. It's just... too late," Father sighed before we heard a banging at the door.
"That's him!" Belle told everyone excitedly. "That has to be him." Everyone approached the door. Even I moved closer to see him at the door.
"How could he get past the walls? Open it!" Some of the guards open the door; revealing no one standing in the hall.
"Well, that was a bit of a letdown!" We all turned quickly to see Rumplestiltskin sitting in Father's throne. "You sent me a message, something about, "Help! Help! We're dying. Can you save us?"" Gaston pointed his sword at him as he rose from the throne. "Well, the answer is..." Rumplestiltskin smacked the blade away from him. "Yes, I can. Yes, I can protect your little town... for a price."
"We sent you a promise of gold," Father reminded him.
"Ah... now, you see, um... I uh... make gold. What I want is something a bit more special. My price... is her." I followed his pointed finger to see him pointing at Belle.
"No," Father denied while Gaston shielded Belle with his arm.
"The young lady is engaged... to me."
"I wasn't asking if she was engaged," Rumplestiltskin told him. "I'm not looking for love! I'm looking for a caretaker... for my rather large estate. It's her, or no deal."
"Get out," Father ordered pointing to the still open door. "Leave!"
"As you wish." Rumplestiltskin started for the door when Belle called out.
"No, wait!" Rumplestiltskin stopped and turned to her. "I will go with him."
"I forbid it, Belle!" Gaston told her. I moved from my spot and pushed past them.
"I shall go." The room went quiet. Gaston held Belle back from moving from behind him.
"Why you?" he asked me.
"Doesn't matter," I told him. "I'll go with you and you protect the most important person in my life."
"It's forever, dearie," he warned.
"Give me your word that she'll be safe."
"You have my word."
"And you have mine."
"Deal!" Rumplestiltskin giggled.
"No!" I didn't turn to look at Belle. "No! You can't go with him! The deal was for me to go, not you!"
"You are needed here, Belle," I finally turned and smiled at her. She was being held back by Gaston's arm around her waist and Father's hand on her arm. "We've already made the deal either way."
"You know, she's right. The deal is struck," Rumplestiltskin told her placing his hand on my lower back. "Oh, congratulations on your little war!" He turned me away and we walked out the door together.
Storybrooke - Present
I'd always hated Valentine's Day and spending nearly a month in the hospital wasn't fun. When I was finally released, Mr. Gold, Henry, and Mary Margaret were there to greet me at the hospital door.
"I don't think I've ever felt more popular," I joked.
"How are you feeling?" Mary Margaret asked me and I nodded.
I've been better, but I'll be okay." I got up from the wheelchair they insisted they push me out in. Henry was wrapped around my middle as soon as he could.
"Hey," I laughed at him. "I'm okay."
"This was the longest you've ever been in the hospital." I just held him tighter to me. He was right, of course. I'd never been in the hospital this long before. I was getting worse as the years went on. I knelt down to look at him.
"Hey, look at me." He did what I told him. "No matter what I'll be okay. I'm a lot stronger than I look."
"I know," he told me quietly. "The book said you dad sent you to be beaten a lot and you survived. You've always been strong."
"Then that book of your book has gotten something right," I told him before kissing his forehead. "Now, I don't know about you guys but I'm ready to go home." I stood and Mr. Gold offered me his arm.
"Shall we?" I took his arm smiling.
"We shall." He led me to his car before opening the door to let me in and driving home.
Mr. Gold drove us to a cabin in the woods and I looked from it to him confused.
"What are we doing here?" I asked him.
"This is It's small, but I thought it would be-" We got out of the car and I looked up at the house.
"Perfect." I smiled at him. "Is it ready or should we wait to go inside?"
"If you'd like." He handed me a key and I took it before going to the door. I unlocked it and stepped inside. The cabin opened to a large living/dining area. It separated into a bedroom and had a small kitchenette. He walked in after me and I sighed.
"You really found this place just for me?" I asked him.
"Of course." I continued to look around.
"Something's missing," I said quietly.
"Your belongings, I imagine."
"That's not what I mean," I laughed. "This place is what I've imagined when I was living with Aunt Regina, but now..."
"Now it's not enough?" he asked confused.
"Now I'm not so happy being alone anymore." He seemed to realize what I'd said and chuckled.
"You want to live with someone," he stated.
"I'd settle for neighbors," I laughed going back to his side.
"Shall we keep looking then?" he asked.
"Of course." He offered his arm again before going back out to the car.
After stopping by the Pawn Shop to take care of some work, we went home but Mr. Gold paused on the steps.
"What is it?" I asked him confused. He drew his gun and motioned for me to wait on the front steps. "I'm not going to stay here while you're being shot at." He gave me a look before walking slowly inside with me behind him. He stopped me moving after a moment and turned quickly to see Emma with her gun pointing at him.
"Sheriff Swan."
"Your neighbors saw your front door open and called it in," she told us.
"It appears I've been robbed," Mr. Gold told her lowering his gun.
"Funny how that keeps happening to you," Emma said also lowering hers.
"Yeah, well, I'm a difficult man to love," he told her as I revealed myself from my hiding spot next to him.
"But not for everyone."
Enchanted Forest - Past
3rd POV
Once they arrived at his castle, Rumplestiltskin took Clarissa straight into what looked like a dungeon.
"Where are we going?" she asked him confused.
"Let's call it.. your room," he told her opening the door with his
"Looks more like a cell," Clarissa said walking inside the cell.
"Room sounded nicer," he told her before closing the door and locking it. As Rumplestiltskin walked away he listened for the usual crying or screaming instead there was only silence.
The next day, I was serving Rumplestiltskin tea in the white ball gown I'd been wearing since the night before.
"You will serve me my meals, and you will clean the Dark Castle."
"I gathered that when you said you needed a caretaker for your large estate," I told him pouring tea into one of the cups.
"You will dust my collection, and launder my clothing."
"All right."
"You will fetch me fresh straw when I am spinning at the wheel."
"Got it."
"Oh, and you will skin the children I hunt for their pelts," he told me and I gave him a look.
"That one you'll do on your own," I told him placing the teacup in front of him.
"That one was a quip. Not serious."
"Good," I told him going back to the tea set. "I'll need new clothes. There will be no way for me to work in this dress."
Storybrooke - Present
"Sheriff Swan, you can go now. I know exactly what was taken and who did it. I've got it from here," Mr. Gold told Emma.
"No, you don't. This was a robbery, public menace, and if you don't tell me what you know, I will have to arrest you for obstruction of justice," Emma told him. "I have a feeling you don't wanna be behind bars."
"Does anyone?" I asked her.
"Indeed," Mr. Gold said. "Alright, his name's Moe French. He sells flowers, and he recently defaulted on a loan. A short time ago, we had a little disagreement over collateral."
"French?" Emma asked him. "As in-"
"My father, yes," I told her. "He's not exactly father of the year, but I'm sure you'll figure that out."
"Okay. I'll go get him, check him out," Emma told us.
"I'm sure you will, assuming I don't find him..." Mr. Gold chuckled. "Let's just say, bad things tend to happen to bad people."
"Is that a threat?" Emma asked him.
"Of course not," I told her with a smile.
"Merely an observation," Mr. Gold her. "Good luck."
Enchanted Forest - Past
A few months later, I was on a ladder trying to open the curtains while Rumplestiltskin was spinning at his wheel. Everything was going nicely between the two of us. Every so often we'd talk, but after a few things had happened when I first arrived we'd grown a bit closer. He'd even hired a seamstress to make me a purple/red dress.
"Why do you spin so much?" I suddenly asked him, tugging at the curtains. I heard him stop spinning and turned to see him staring up at me. "You've spun more gold than anyone could ever spend in their lifetime."
"I like to watch the wheel. Helps me forget," he told me solemnly.
"What is it you're trying to forget?" I asked him. He was silent for a moment.
"I guess it worked," he laughed his high pitched laugh and I soon joined him before going back to my work. "What are you doing?"
"Opening these curtains!" I told him while tugging. "I want to see the sky again and feel the sun on my skin." I tugged again before sighing and turning to him. "What did you do, nail them down?"
"Yes," he told me as though I should have known this. I sighed and shook my head before tugging at the curtains again. My tugging must have knocked the nails loose because They came loose and I fell off the ladder. I scream before feeling a pair of arms holding onto me. I looked up at Rumplestiltskin, his amber eyes staring down at me.
"Thank you," I said quietly. He awkwardly put me down on the ground and quickly removed his hands from my person.
"It's no matter." He waved it off before looking outside the window. I turned and smiled at the sight of the garden and the view of the road. We'd be able to see someone coming towards the castle.
"I can replace the curtains, if you want," I told him.
"Uh, There's no need. I'll get used to it." He walked back towards the spinning wheel and I smiled back at the view in front of me unaware of the eyes watching me.
Storybrooke - Present
At the sheriff department, Emma had Mr. Gold's stolen items strewn all over her desk and he was looking through them closely.
"You're welcome," Emma said to him from behind her desk. "You're right. Your man Moe ripped you off. It was all still at his place."
"And the man himself?" Mr. Gold asked.
"Closing in on him."
"So you have no idea where he is?" I asked him and she gave me a look.
"So, job well half-done, then," Mr. Gold said looking at everything closely.
"In less than a day, I got it all back. Is something wrong?" Emma asked him.
"You've recovered nothing. There's something missing," he told her angrily and I looked at the items and him confused.
"I'll get it when I find him," Emma told him as he began to walk away.
"Not if I find him first."
Enchanted Forest - Past
"Why did you want me here?" I asked Rumplestiltskin while serving dinner one night.
"The place was filthy," he said motioning to the Dark Castle.
"I think you were lonely," I corrected while sitting in a chair I'd added to the table some weeks ago. "Any man would be lonely after some time."
"I'm not a man," he pointed out and I gave him a look.
"So," I started changing the subject. "I've had a couple of months to look around, and upstairs, there's clothing for a child? Was it yours or did you once have a family?"
"There was a family," he told me. "There was a son. I lost him, as I did his mother." For the first time, he seemed sad.
"I'm sorry for your loss," I said. "So you were an ordinary man once." He rose from his seat and walked towards me. "I'm curious to know more about the last man I'll ever meet."
"Perhaps... perhaps you just want to learn the monster's weaknesses! Nyah, Nyah! Nuh, nuh nuh!" he said and I laughed at him.
"You're not a monster," I told him. "I've seen real monsters before and you're nothing like them." He stared at me confused before we heard someone at the door. Rumplestiltskin left to answer it before coming back with a hand behind his back.
"Who was that?" I asked him.
"Just an old woman selling her wears," he told me before showing me a necklace in his hidden hand. "Here. If you'll have it."
"Of course, thank you." I rose from my seat and went to him. He unclasped the necklace and motioned for me to turn around. I did and he placed the necklace around my neck and I moved my hair so he could clasp it. I looked down at it and saw a rose pendent on it. I turned and smiled up at him and he stared down at me before going to sit down again.
"You had a life, Clarissa. Before... this—friends... family. What made you choose to come here with me?"
"I had one person, Belle," I smiled at the memory of my sister. "She was the only person I wanted safe from that place. My father had an affair while his wife was gravely ill. He never imagined the consequence," I laughed lightly. "Being the bastard daughter of a king means nothing except as a bed warmer according to the man my father had arranged for me to marry."
"You were to be married?" he asked.
"It was just a way for my father to control me and get me out of his castle," I told him.
"And how do you feel about your betrothed?" he asked me.
"Well, as I said, it was an arranged marriage," I told him. "I made sure he changed his mind about marrying me. But I remember you were going to tell me about your son." He simply stared at me.
"I'll tell you what... I'll make you a deal. Go to town, and fetch me some straw. When you return, I'll share my tale," he told me and I looked at him confused.
"Town?" I asked him. "You trust me to go alone and come back?"
"Oh, no, Clarissa. I expect I'll never see you again."
While I was on the road to fetch straw for Rumplestiltskin, my mind was full of so many thoughts about what he had said. Suddenly, a carriage approached and I quickly moved out of the way before it stopped just past me. A woman with an intricate updo and a black dress peered out and smiled at me.
"Did my carriage splash you?" she asked me and I looked down at my dry dress. The road wasn't even wet.
"No, I'm fine," I told her with a small smile.
"You know, I'm tired of riding. Let me stretch my legs and walk with you for a spell." she climbed out of her carriage and locked her arm with mine. We began to walk towards town with her carriage following behind us. "You carry very little."
"I don't need much," I told her.
"Mm. You're running from someone," she laughed. "The question is, master or lover?" I said nothing and just stared at the road ahead. "Oh. Master and lover."
"You know, I might take a rest. You go on ahead." I told her with a small smile.
"So, if I'm right," she said pulling me along with her. "You love your employer, but you're leaving him."
"I never said I was leaving him," I told her. "You simply assumed I was running."
"You're going to return to the man who held you captive?" she asked me confused.
"He saved me," I corrected. "And he's not a man."
"Sounds like a curse to me, and all curses can be broken," she told me and I just wanted to rip my arm from hers. "A kiss born of true love would do it." I stopped and stared at her. The woman laughed before pulling me next to her again. "Oh, child, no. I would never suggest a young woman to kiss a man who held her captive. What kind of message is that?" I rolled my eyes at her. "Besides, if he loves you, he would've let you go. And if he doesn't love you, well then, the kiss won't even work."
"He did let me go," I corrected her.
"Yes, but no kiss happened," she reminded me.
"And according to you, that will change him."
"Into an ordinary man," the woman smiled at me. "True love's kiss will break any curse."
After my encounter with the woman, who I was more than happy to be separated from, I walked back to the castle with a full basket of straw. I walked into the main room to see him spinning.
"Oh, you're back already. Good. Good thing. I'm, uh... I'm nearly out of straw," he lied and I smiled at him. I took the straw and placed it next to where he was spinning.
"Yes, I can see that," I smiled at him. "You're allowed to admit you're happy I'm back, you know."
"I'm not unhappy," he told me and I smiled more.
"I recall being promised a story," I said standing next to him.
"Did I now?" he asked me. I grabbed the thread from his hand and sat next to him.
"Tell me about your family," I told him.
"Uh... I lost them. There's nothing more to tell, really."
"And since then, you've loved no one and allowed no one to love you," I stated.
"Why did you come back?" he asked leaning towards me.
"Because you believe yourself to be a monster, just as I once did," I told him. "You helped me escape from a man who would have seen me dead." I placed my forehead on his and closed my eyes happily. "I only wish I could act on how I feel," I whispered.
"What are you talking about?" he asked me.
"I've grown to love you, Rumplestiltskin. But I can't act on it or whatever you want this power you have for might be taken from you."
"What?" he asked pulling away from me.
"She said any curse can be broken," I told him and he stood up abruptly in anger.
"Who told you that!? Who knows that!?" he yelled at me.
"A woman I met on the road while going into town," I told him. "I don't know who she is."
"She." He crossed the room and uncovered a mirror and spoke into it. "You... evil... soul. This was you! You turned her against me! You think you can make me weak? You think you can defeat me!?"
"Is that why you were covering the mirrors? So that woman couldn't see what you were up to?" I asked him. "Who is she?"
"The Queen!" he said spinning to look at me. "Your friend, the Queen! How did she get to you?"
"The Queen?" I asked him confused. "I don't-"
"I knew this was a trick. I knew you could never care for me," he said moving towards me. "Oh, yeah. You're working for her. Or is this all you? Is this you being the hero and killing the beast to earn your kingdoms favor?"
"I would never-"
"Shut up!" He grabbed my upper arms and pulled me up from my seat.
"I would never betray you like that!"
"Shut the hell up!"
"Why won't you believe me?!"
"Because no one- No one could ever, ever love me!" He shouted, shaking me. He dragged me down to the dungeon and threw me into the cell he'd first placed me in. I looked up at him from the ground, confused, as he slammed the door shut.
Storybrooke - Present
I snuck around the back and walked inside staying low.
"Let me explain. Okay?" My father begged him as Mr. Gold put his gun on the table. "Let me explain."
"Oh." Mr. Gold pulled up a chair and sat down. "Well, that is... fascinating. Truly fascinating." He pressed the end of his cane into my father's throat. "I'm gonna let you breathe in a second, and you're gonna say two sentences. The first is gonna tell me where it is. The second is gonna tell me who told you to take it. Do you understand the rules?"
"Yeah," my father said strained.
"Good. Let's begin." Mr. Gold removed the cane.
"I needed that van."
"Ah, ta, ta, ta, ta. Now, you see, that is not a good first sentence." Mr. Gold hit my father with his cane and I jumped slightly at the noise of his cane hitting flesh.
"Oh! Gold! Listen!"
"Tell me where it is!" He hit my father again.
"Oh! Stop!"
"Tell me where it is!" He hit him again.
"Oh! Stop! It wasn't my fault!"
""My fault"? What are you talking about, "my fault"? You shut her out. You had her love, and you shut her out!" He hit him again.
"Aah!"
"She's gone. Who she was is gone. She nearly died and it's your fault!" Every word Mr. Gold said was accentuated with a strike of his cane and my father shouted out every time he was struck. "Not mine! You are her father! Yours! It's yours!"
Enchanted Forest - Past
I could hear crashes above my head and could only imagine Rumplestiltskin destroying his prized positions, rewards from his deals, in anger.
Storybrooke - Present
"It's your fault! It's your fault!" Suddenly, Emma intruded on the situation and grabbed Mr. Gold's cane.
"Stop!"
Enchanted Forest - Past
3RD POV
Rumplestiltskin went to the tea set and started throwing it at the walls. He came to a teacup that he hadn't seen before and stared at it. The cup was black with a sky blue are with a blooming red rose in the center. He gently set it back down on the table and leaned next to it.
Storybrooke - Present
Emma called in an ambulance for my father and we all stood next to her car as he was loaded.
"So I hear you managed not to break anything he needs. You're lucky, Mr. Gold," Emma told him.
"You got a funny definition of lucky," Mr. Gold told her.
"You have a funny definition of justice. What did he really do?" Emma asked curiously.
"He stole." I stared at Mr. Gold, remembering is words.
"That reaction was about more than taking a few trinkets. You said something about how he hurt "her", what happened to "her"?" Emma asked him. "Who was that? What did he do? If someone needs help, maybe I can help."
"No. I'm sorry, Sheriff. I think you heard that wrong," Mr. gold told her. She looked at me and I shook my head.
"I didn't hear anything."
"You really don't wanna cooperate."
"Look, we're done here." He moved to walk away and Emma grabbed his arm.
"Actually... No, we're not. You're under arrest," she said cuffing him.
"Why?" I asked her confused. "Neither my father nor I will be pressing any charges."
"He kidnapped your father and beat him half to death," she stated putting Mr. Gold in her car. "I'm taking him in."
Enchanted Forest - Past
When I woke the next morning, I was in a bed that I hadn't fallen asleep in.
"Where...?" I wondered curiously before looking up to see my father standing on the other side of the bars.
"It seems your lover grew tired of you," he told me. "He did leave that." I looked to where he was pointing to see a note on a bedside table.
"Why am I in your cell?"
"I will not allow you to poison my people with your presence," he glared at me. "Once I'm happy you've been cleansed of his magic and lies, you'll be married to whomever I choose." With that, he left me alone and I knew the clerics would be there soon. I quickly grabbed the letter from Rumplestiltskin and opened it.
Clarissa,
The amusement I had while you were here has worn out. I'm sending you back to the life you should have lived. Our deal is still valid so I will protect your sister from all who would wish her harm. You are broken, dearie, and I don't like my positions broken. You mean nothing to me and never will.
Goodbye,
Rumplestiltskin.
I held my locket in my hand and began to cry.
Storybrooke - Present
I made my way through the halls of the sheriff's office, but stopped when I heard familiar voices.
"Now when two people want something the other has, a deal can always be struck. Do you have what I want?" I heard Mr. Gold ask.
"Yes," Aunt Regina answered.
"So... you did put him up to it, then."
"I merely suggested that... strong men take what they need," Aunt Regina said.
"Oh yeah, and you told him just what to take, didn't you?" Mr. Gold asked and I could hear him getting angry.
"We used to know each other so well, Mr. Gold. Has it really come down to this?" Aunt Regina asked him.
"It seems it has, yeah. But you know what I want. What is it you want?"
"I want you to answer one question. And answer it simply. What's your name?"
"It's Mr. Gold," Mr. Gold told her confused.
"Your real name."
"Every moment I've spent on this earth, that's been my name."
"But what about moments spent elsewhere?"
"What are you asking me?" he asked after a brief pause.
"I think you know. If you want me to return what's yours, tell me your name," she ordered. He paused again before chuckling.
"Rumplestiltskin." I looked around the side to see him standing and gripping the bell bars. "Now give me what I want."
"Such hostility."
"Oh yeah." Aunt Regina reached into her bad and pulled out a familiar black teacup and a necklace connected to the handle.
"Over this?" I took in a silent breath as Mr. Gold reached through the bars for the cup as she shifted the items from side to side teasingly. "Such a..." His hand latched on the cup and she stopped moving it. "sentimental little keepsake." She released the cup and he pulled them to him.
"Thank you... your Majesty." He sat down on the cot to examine the items in his hand. "So... now that we're being honest with each other, let's remember how things used to be, shall we? And don't let these bars fool you, dear. I'm the one with the power around here. I'm gonna be out of here in no time, and nothing between us will change."
"Actually, I think you'll find that I have the power right now," I said alerting them to my presence. They both stared at me in shock. "I wondered if the two of you remembered everything."
"How do you remember?" Aunt Regina asked.
"You remember I had magic back home, right?" I asked with a smirk of my own. "Or maybe it was the potion you used to make me forget him and my magic." Mr. Gold's shocked face turned to confused anger.
"So you remember everything?" she asked her face pale.
"I do," I nodded. "I'd wondered what happened to my necklace after I'd jumped." I stared at the cup and pendent before looking into Mr. Gold's brown eyes. "I'll see you at the Pawn Shop." I turned and walked away from them with a smile on my face.
Enchanted Forest - Past
3RD POV
Rumplestiltskin was spinning at his wheel when the Evil Queen entered his castle.
"Flimsy locks," she chuckled. "I have a deal to discuss. A certain... mermaid." She glanced down at the mismatched tea set on the table and her smirk fell slightly.
"I'm not dealing today," he told her.
"Are you angry with me? What is it this time?" she asked pouring herself some tea.
"Your little deception failed. You'll never be more powerful than me. You can keep trying, dearie, but you're never gonna beat me," he told her softly.
"Oh." She clicked her tongue before mocking him. "Is this about that girl I met on the road?" she asked before laughing. "What was her name? Margie? Verna?"
"Clarissa." She glanced at him from the table.
"Right. Well... you can rest assured I had nothing to do with that tragedy," she told him. Rumplestiltskin stopped spinning and turned towards her as she stirred her tea in his rose cup. He slowly moved towards her.
"What tragedy?"
"You don't know?" she chuckled ad set down her spoon while still holding her cup of tea. "Wow. After she got home... her fiancé had gone missing." She flashed him a knowing smile and took a few steps before turning around. "And after her stay here, her... "association" with you, no one would want her, of course. Her father shunned her, cut her off."
"So she needs... a home?" he asked her slowly.
"He was cruel to her," she told him slowly. "He locked her in a tower and sent in clerics to cleanse her soul with scourges and flaying. After a while, she threw herself off the tower. She died.
"You're lying," he said, his voice filling with emotion.
"Am I?" She asked him.
"We're done." He magically opened the castle doors.
"Fine." She put down the cup. "I have other calls to make." Rumplestiltskin stood by the open door as she walked towards the exit while running her hand along the table. "Hmm. The place is looking dusty, Rumple. You should get a new girl." She left and the doors closed behind her.
Rumplestiltskin used his magic to go to the castle he'd left Clarissa at and watched from nearby as her sister cried in the arms of her new husband. In her hand was the necklace he'd given the younger sister. Belle caught sight of him and pulled herself out of the arms of Gaston and walked to the Dark One. She ran up to him in her black dress and slapped him before throwing the necklace at him.
"Look at what you've done!" She shouted at him. "You betrayed her! What happened was your fault!" Belle dropped to her knees and broke down. He quickly left before Gaston and King Maurice could see him as they began to bury the youngest Princess.
At his castle, Rumpelstiltskin moved to the table and grabbed the cup the queen had used. He collapsed the necklace around the handle and moved to a pedestal where a golden goblet rested. He removed it and placed the cup and necklace in its place before sobbing over his lost love.