The Promise

Rotbart stared at the hysterical princess. "What do you mean 'you're gonna die'?!" He said in disbelief.

"Daring doesn't love me!" Apple wailed.

"That doesn't mean you'll die…".

"Yes it does!"

Rotbart rolled his eyes. For a straight A-student, Apple was sure acting like an idiot. "Look, you can't die from a broken heart, that's just a myth…"

"No! You don't understand!" Apple interjected. "Daring doesn't love me."

"So?"

"So he can't be my True Love!"

"No kidding?" Rotbart said sarcastically.

"And that means I don't have a True Love." Apple continued. "No True Love means no True Love's kiss. No True Love's kiss means no broken spell. No broken spell means eternal slumber. And eternal slumber means DEATH!" And then Apple crumbled to the floor, sobbing.

Rotbart was silent. Apple actually had a good point. No wonder she was so scared. He felt kind of bad for automatically dismissing her fears. And there was something about seeing her sobbing on the floor like a frightened child that filled him with pity. He knelt down beside her and said:

"Apple. Look at me."

Apple looked up and was surprised to see that there wasn't a bit of smugness, sarcasm, or spite in Rotbart's face.

"I know you need to live." He said. "I know you've got people that are counting on you to go through with that story and come out of it alive and married. So I'm going to make you a promise."

Apple's eyes widened in confusion. Rotbart continued:

"I promise that I won't try to harm you in any way until you get another prince."

Apple was stunned. "I don't believe it." She finally said with a hostile frown.

Rotbart frowned back. "And why not? I did just save your life. The least you can do is take me seriously." His pity was quickly evaporating.

"You're just messing with me again!" She snapped. "I know I can't replace Daring." She added mournfully. "He was perfect."

"Guys who let girls other than their unofficial fiances suck their dick are FAR from perfect." Rotbart pointed out. "And you got another villain; why can't you get another prince?"

"But it was never supposed to be like this!" Apple passionately declared for the umpteenth time.

"Snow White was never supposed to be blonde either! How about that?!" Rotbart shot back.

Apple burst into tears all over again. Rotbart could tell that he hit a deep sore spot and his pity returned. This profoundly sad girl wasn't really so different from his own sister. In her own way, Apple had been struggling with expectations all of her life too. Everybody wanted her to be exactly like her mother, and she just couldn't do it. Just like how Raven couldn't be evil.

"Look, I'm sorry." He said.

Apple stared at him again. Did Rotbart just apologize?! She thought.

"I mean, it shouldn't matter that you're blonde." He continued awkwardly. "Or that I'm not daughter of the Wicked Queen. Or who your True Love is. What matters is that you're meant to be queen, I'm ready to help you play your part, and that you have a real True Love at the end. And I'm telling you that I won't go through with the story until you're guaranteed a happy ending."

"What's the catch?" Apple asked cautiously.

"No catch. None at all."

"Really?"

Rotbart paused for a minute. "Well, there is one thing…"

Apple sighed. She thought there would be. "What?" She said.

He grinned. "Just realize that you may not catch me when the story's all done."

Apple looked shocked. "Are you telling me that you'll keep me alive just so you can go free after poisoning me?!"

He shook his head. "Nope. I'm not even asking. I'm just saying. You can send the whole army after me, but just understand that you probably won't ever have the pleasure of throwing me in the dungeon."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"You underestimate me, princess." He said with the pride of a powerful sorcerer.

"And anyway, how can I trust you?" Apple pressed. She remembered what he had said to Duchess Swan months ago about not always meaning what he said.

Rotbart looked her in the eye. "I swear on my powers." He said.

Apple gasped. Swearing on one's powers was the most powerful and binding promise that a sorcerer could make. If Rotbart betrayed her, he would lose all his magic! She had no choice but to believe him now.

"But why?" She asked. "Why are you promising me this?! Why should you care if I get a happy ending?!"

Rotbart paused. He couldn't think of a suitably evil reason, so he just went with the truth: "Because no one should die with a broken heart." He said sincerely.

Of course he would say that. Apple thought. This guy really IS a true romantic. And she found herself envying Raven Queen. Just a little bit.

"So." He said.

"So." She replied awkwardly. She couldn't think of anything to say to this deeply complicated guy that had just saved her life in more ways than one.

"What are you going to do to Daring?" Rotbart asked.