Baelfire's childhood was relatively normal despite the stir that his birth created in the small village, starting of course with the mysterious 'Mrs. Gold'.
"Who's the mother?"
"I don't know…'where is she?' seems the more likely question right now."
"I don't know…but when did Rumanus marry?"
"I don't know…surely we would've heard of it!"
"You don't think…?"
"Rumanus? At such a place? Surely not!"
"Then who's the mother?"
Initially, Rumanus was plagued quite often with such questions but he only ever answered with a tight smile and a comment on the weather or some other mundane topic. He remained impervious to all the pestering and eventually the questions ended, replaced with only the occasional muttering of "no mother—poor boy" and "but 'Baelfire'—quite a strange name, is it not?"
For his part, Bae questioned his father on the subject of his mother but once and he was answered with a vague "perhaps I'll tell you when you're older". Normally such an answer would provoke more questions but the sad look in his father's eyes that accompanied the answer prevented Bae from pressing the matter any further.
And so 18 years passed and Baelfire Gold remained unaware of his …peculiar parentage. And though he was a bit of a loner and a tad different in some respects, he did have at least one thing in common with the other boys his age: he fancied himself in love with Ruby Lucas.
"Don't forget the flowers, Bae."
"Right..yes…got them."
Bae closed the door behind him and set off down the street, a small (and somewhat pitiful) 'bouquet' grasped in one hand.
There was still a light in the window and for some reason this gave him hope. He searched the ground for something he could use—
AHA!
Bae picked up a small, smooth rock and weighed it carefully in his hand. Yes…this will do. He looked at the intended target, took a deep breath, and tossed the rock at the window.
Moments later, the window creaked open and Ruby peered out. Next to her, half hidden by a curtain, was Ruby's cousin Mary Margaret, pressing her knuckles against her mouth to stifle her giggles.
"Shhhhh," Ruby smiled as she leaned a little further out the window. "Graham?"
"N-n-no. No, it's me—Bae."
"Oh."
Bae winced at the disappointment in her voice.
Ruby looked around for a moment. "Did I leave something at the shop?"
"No…no," he stammered, "I just thought that I could bring—"
"Gold?"
Bae turned to his right and saw none other than Graham Humbert who was flourishing a rather large bouquet of roses. Graham looked from Bae to the pitiful bunch of flowers grasped in his hand and narrowed his eyes, "Were those for Ruby?"
Bae turned red and began stammering, "Uhh..well…umm—"
"Leave the poor boy alone Graham," Ruby called, a smile pulling at her lips as she looked down fondly on her admirer. She barely glanced at Bae as she explained away his presence, "I just left something at the shop—he just came to tell me."
Graham seemed to accept the explanation as he stepped back from Bae and offered him a slight smile, "Well, in that case: Good night then, Gold."
"Right. Yes. G'night," Bae said, ducking his head as he turned on his heel and began the slow walk back home.
"Night, Bae," Ruby called after him.
Bae stuttered for a moment but the only response he could muster was a slight nod. Ruby sniggered and then swiftly turned her attentions back to Graham.
Shoulders slumped, Bae trudged home.
So that scene at the end of the chapter was different from the movie 'cause Ruby and Graham are nicer than Victoria and Humphrey and I can't see Ruby or Graham acting the way Victoria and Humphrey did.
