BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

I'm disturbed from my threading.

I think nothing of it, probably just an unhappy client who didn't read the fine print.

I go back to my treading.

Recently Rumpelstiltskin had gifted me some beautiful clams.

As of lately rumple has had me swimming to multiple realms, sometimes even multiple a day.

Most of the time I was scouring a land without magic.

I was to find someone named Baelfire.

Still no luck.

The land without magic was a vast place, bigger than any place I've been too before, land that was covered by weird buildings, well at least I think they are building.

Giant and tall, almost as if they were trying to touch the sun.

Strange carriages that people rode around in, that needed no horse.

Giant pirate ships made of metal.

It had become very Tiring.

I try to ask the people for assistance, I tell the ones who to stop to hear my plight, however the moment I mentioned magic or anything relating to my world the strangers walk way, if I'm lucky I will only be ignored, though if I'm unlucky i will be called some very nasty names and get shoved away.

I know Rumpelstiltskin is getting angrier and angrier with my failure.

It's not my fault, the land without magic is a vast and very populated place.

It must be 50x bigger than the enchanted forest and other lands, not to mention all the people at least 1000x more populated than the enchanted forest.

I can only travel so far.

Plus I was starting to attract attention.

Blurry Pictures of me under the words Mermaid sightings were starting to appear On the papers that humans would buy and read.

Most were calling it,a publicity stunt.

I do not know what that meant, but most were more open to believe that then the possibility that Mermaids existed.

Rumpelstiltskin was not lieing, this really was a world without magic.

I think Rumpelstiltskin can see that it's really taking a toll on me, especially when we sees me limping on my sore and bleeding feet.

I know clams don't seem the most pleasing gift, but it's what inside that's the true gift.

Pearls.

Pearls of different colours and sizes.

They were beautiful.

My work schedule was very irregular, I could have days where I was working non stop and wouldn't be able to rest or sleep for days on end, then there were other day like today, were I could spend days even a few weeks not doing anything other than catering to Rumpelstiltskins every desire, and he was pretty low maintenance.

So the days I don't work, I keep myself occupied by making jewellery for myself, as of right now I'm working on a circlet made of green pearls and the gold Rumpelstiltskin spun.

BANG! BANG!

It's clear whoever's at the door won't go alway.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Alright, hold on I'm coming.

I place the string of gold and pearls on my vanity before rising and journeying through the hallway, down the stairs to the front door.

I pull the door open to reveal a dispassion Snow White and a man I've never seen before.

In comparison to Snow Whites calm almost tranquil outwards appearance this man the the picture of flustered.

"I need to speak to your master sister."

Master?

His comment rubs me the wrong way.

I may serve Rumpelstiltskin but that does not make him My master.

"Please make an appointment." I snark to them before binging to close the door.

"Grumpy Why should we listen to the lap dog." Snow clam Voice stops me in my tracks.

I beg you pardon.

The man known as grumpy has the common sense to look to gobsmacked.

"Snow!" The man hisses.

"Excuse me?"

Snow looks me up and down with a smirk and judgement.

"I merely asked why We should listen to you? You clearly don't have any say in matters, your a glorified lap dog, I bet If rumpelstiltskin called on you right now you would go running with your little tail wagging ready to serve, so your going to be a good little dog and open the door for us and take us to your master."

I'm in shock.

What on earth, Snow White, the perfect princess has just called me a dog right to my face and show no remorse.

All I can do is stand in the door way opening and closing my mouth.

Snow raises an amused eyebrow.

"If you just hear what I said? I was always told fish had 20 second memory however i didn't realise that passed along to mermaids."

Show seized the opportunity and shoved right past me.

Grumpy follows after her though he does have the decency to offer me an apologetic look.

Snows turns to me.

"Well are you going to lead us to rumpelstiltskin or stand in the doorway like an idiot."

I gather my bearings and close the door.

Trying to regain some of my lost pride i beckon the two to follow me up the stairs.

"Follow me."

We get to our destination quickly, I gesture to pair to stop.

"Please wait here while I announce your presence."

"Sure thing sister."

"I suppose, but do hurry I don't have time to sit around."

I open the double doors and walk inside.

I spot rumple at his spinning wheel.

Clearing my throat.

"You have visitors."

"Yes I'm aware dearie, of all that banging was anything to go by, send them in."

I wonder back to the doors before opening them both.

"Please come in."

Grumpy strides in with snow closely following behind.

Rumple marches to Rumpelstiltskin.

"The potion you gave Snow, it changed her. She's not the same."

Yes I can see that.

I plop down on a seat, watching the Princess as she rifles through Rumpelstiltskin's different potions.

Rumplstiltskin gestures with his hands.

"Well, of course it changed her. It took away her love, left a big hole in her heart. There is no cure for what she's got. The person she was… There's no way to bring her back. No potion can bring back true love."

Rumpelstiltskin opens a cabinet containing several rows of labeled potions. There is a missing potion above the heart label.

The glass vile he put snows hair in is gone.

"Love, is the most powerful magic of all. The only magic I haven't been able to bottle. If you can bottle love, you can do anything. But you don't care about that, do you? Now, what is it you really want?"

Snow Has a vicious look on her face.

"I want your help to kill the Queen."

Rumpelstiltskin is exited

"Now we're talking, dearie."

"Snow, don't." Grumpy begs.

Rumpelstiltskin takes a string and a piece of wood and fashions a bow.

"Now, what is this?" Snow look intrigued.

Rumpelstiltskin gestures to the bow.

"This…is how you kill the Queen."

"How will that help me get into the castle?"

You want to get into the Queens Castle, you might as well lay yourself on a silver platter surrounded by all the trimmings with an apple in your mouth.

"No, no, no. That's impossible. You have to kill her when she's on the move. When she's on her way to the summer palace. Fire the arrow from this spot here, and you'll be hidden from sight. An arrow fired from this bow will get you exactly what you need. It always finds its target."

Clever.

"I can't stand by. If you take that weapon, you do it alone." Grumpy tells snow with a serious look.

Snow White takes the bow and arrow from Rumpelstiltskin.

"That was always my plan. So, what do I have to do in return?"

"Do? You don't have to do anything, dearie."

"Everything comes with a price with you. Last time you took a strand of my hair. What's in it for you this time?"

Well at least she's learnt that, you would not believe the number of people who seem to forget that part of the deal.

"Let's just say, I'm invested in your future."

There's something he's not telling me.

But then again I'm not always sure I want to know what's cooking in that sinister mind of his.

"Arista can show you out"

Rumplstiltskin bids them a farewell.

I Stand and lead the duo back down the hallway.

All the while grumpy is trying to inhibit Snow White to change her mind.

"Snow please, don't do this. We shall find another way to throw the queen out of power but this isn't it."

"If I wanted your opinions grumpy I would do asked for it."

Ouch.

Grumpy deflates.

We reach the door and I gesture the pair to leave.

Soon as their out of view I close the door and let out a breath.

On the way back to my room I replay snow Whites words in my head.

"bet If rumpelstiltskin called on you right now you would go running with your little tail wagging ready to serve."

I'm not a dog.

I'm not.

I do this for my sister, I'm polite to rumple that's it.

Still there is a small nagging voice.

"You enjoy working for the dark one, you live for the magic and adventure. Face it you were meant for more than being a perfect princess, the dark one can offer you power."

I push that voice down, Im here for Ariel that's all.

I try to spend the rest do the day winding down from earlier however I don't have much time, only Hours after the first visitor the doors once again fly open.

Almost hitting me In the face.

In strolls charming himself.

How rude, didn't even have the decency to knock, just barges into peoples homes.

"Rumpelstiltskin! Show yourself."

Rumpelstiltskin appears behind him.

Right next to me as I rub my nose.

That hurt.

It's not broken, so that's something.

"Still dressing like a prince, I see. Even though you ran away from the life I gave you. How's that for gratitude?"

"You gave me a prison sentence." Charming try's to defend himself, quite poorly.

"Yeah, one that you've now skirted. Careful, dearie King George is a vengeful man."

"I'm here about Snow. Rumour has it, she's after the Queen and she came to you for help."

Of course he came to ask about snow.

Why else would he be here.

"Yes, indeed." Rumpelstiltskin confirms.

"What did you do to her?"

He draws his sword.

I can't help but roll my eyes.

"Put the sword down charming, you look like a child throwing a temper tantrum."

His eyes turn to me, obviously only just realising rumplstiltskin was in company.

Rumpelstiltskin cuts in.

"What did I do to her? You mean, what did you do to her. You caused her pain. Without that pain, she would never have drank my potion to forget about you. That's what changed her."

"Undo the potion. All magic can be broken."

We can't do anything charming, only you can.

"Oh, yes. With twoo wuv." Rumplstiltskin baby talks to charming.

I let out a small laugh.

"So, that's it then? True love's kiss will awaken her?"

Isn't that what true loves kiss Is meant to do? I think sarcastically.

"Most certainly. But, it's going to be hard to kiss her when you don't know where she is."

Rumpelstiltskin swats Prince Charming's sword and starts to walk away.

He set the cheese now all we need to do is wait for charming to tale the bait.

"Name your price." There it is.

"How about…your cloak?"

I suffer a small case of virtico from swinging my head so fast to face rumple.

His cloak?

Charming shares my confusion.

"My cloak? Why would you want my cloak?"

Rumpelstiltskin fake shivers

"It's drafty in here."

Charming takes off his cloak and places it on the table.

"Where is she?"

"On her way to the Queen's Highway."

Rumplstiltskin magically produces a map.

"This is the route she's taking, but you better be quick. Because, if she kills the Queen, she becomes as evil as the woman whose life she takes."

Charming takes offence "she could never become that evil."

Idiot, that is such a naive amwer.

Clearly this one Lacks any deep knowledge and only takes things at face value.

"Evil isn't born, dearie it's made. If Snow starts down that road, you'll never get her back."

Charming strides out the castle.

Rumplstiltskin crackles with joy as he brings the cloak to his study.

I follow behind.

"Why would you ask for his cloak?"

Rumpelstiltskin is looking through the fur on Prince Charming's cloak with a magnifying glass.

He finds what appears to be a human hair and picks it up with tweezers.

"For this dearie."

He drops the hair in a vial that already contains a strand of Snow White's hair. The two hairs begin to glow and then wrap around each other, forming a double helix.

"Is that what I think it is?" I ask I'm wonder, I've never seen something so extraordinary.

Rumpelstiltskin places the vial in his cabinet above the heart label.

"True love dearie."

I stare in wonder at the interwoven glowing strands.

"A very powerful magic indeed."