Hey everyone!
I'm so glad that all of you who let me know you enjoyed my story liked it. Thanks so much for your reviews and adding it to favorites and alerts. It really means a lot. Every little bit counts!
This chapter is extremely long in my opinion... I'm not used to writing this much in one chapter at all... Well, at least there's more Rumplestiltskin in it!
Hope you all like it!
-OUAT-
Chapter 2- The Meeting in the Snow
Sally awoke to grunting sounds in the next room where the queen and huntsman slept and she groaned in despair as she realized that they were at it again. Who was sick enough to do that with the queen who felt nothing for anybody? Obviously him, she reminded herself, disgusted and trying to block out the sounds without success unlike last night. He must be desperate.
Well, she was awake now. She might as well get started on her chores so that, maybe, she could get some food before she had to cook dinner for the queen that night. At the thought of getting some actual food, not the rotten bit that she was given every day that not even rats would dare to touch, she got up, the mattress springs groaning under the shifting weight. She pulled on her black, muddy boots and fox fur coat before turning to the cracked mirror upon the eastern wall above the small dark wooded table that held as a home to her hairbrush and the little make up she owned.
Her hairbrush was made of black horse hair, the tiny strands all weaved together tightly to make up the brush's teeth and the brush itself was made of light cherry wood that had scratched all over it. It had once been a beautiful item but, like everything in the castle, the queen's presence had seemed to spoil it. Sally's make up consisted of a single bottle —half gone— of mascara, one shade of eye shadow –brown-gold to bring out her brown eyes— and a sad pink shade of lip gloss that made Sally's already lightly colored lips lighter and shiny. And she was lucky to have that, the queen often snapped at her.
Sally ran the old, worn brush through her long, brown hair and quickly pulled it back into a French braid, tying it with a dark green hair tie. Not bothering with any make up, she took one last look at her cracked reflection in the mirror before slipping out the heavy oak door and down the stone-covered hallway and stairs out into the winter wonderland.
When she stepped outside and saw the snow covering everything, a grin broke across her face making her look like a child from our world on Christmas day. Everything was white; the trees, the ground, even the castle which was normally a deathly and dull grey was covered in the white powder. It was beautiful.
The distraction of the snow made it impossible for Sally to notice the approach of Shyam Lele Farron, the queen's right hand man, her cup bearer.
Shyam had a cruel body. His face was round and large, like the rest of his body, and his eyes were tiny, dark icy-blue orbs on each side of his rounded nose that flared with every loud, hard breath he took and seemed to always be in a scowl. His skin was rough and covered in calluses and his lips were always too moist. He walked silently—which was always surprising to Sally since he was large and that was unusual for someone his size—and his feet and hands looked too big for the rest of him, his ears reminding her of an elephant. There was a scar running from the back of his head to just past his ear in a zig-zag pattern as if someone had taken a saw to cut open his skull.
"Shouldn't you be doing your chores instead of gawking shamelessly at the white world around you?"
Strong and brutal hands grabbed her shoulders, causing her to gasp, and spun her around violently, pushing her towards the barn where she began her chores everyday. His massive hands were crushing her frail shoulders as he pushed her making her wince and trip several times until they reached the old barn and he shoved her into it.
She landed on the hard ground, hand landing in horse dung. She grimaced as the warmth seeped into her and the dung oozed through her fingers. She stood, willing herself not to look at her hand or she would for sure vomit. Shyam laughed cruelly.
"Next time," He snickered as he closed the door. "Don't put your chores off."
After she cleaned her hand off—cursing the cup bearer's name as she did—Sally went to work with opening all the horses' stall doors and letting them out into the snow-covered field. She cleaned each stall of bodily fluids and laid down fresh hay before putting oats and hay in each of the feeding trays then water in the water one. She was even able to sneak in a few apple slices and carrots into each one. As she worked, she softly sang;
Welcome back
Winter once again
And put on your warm fuzzy sweater
Cuz you'll feel much better when
The snowflakes fall
Gently to the ground
The temperature drops
And your shivers freeze all the rivers around
But I keep you warm
Da da da da da da da da
If speed's a pro
Inertia must be a con
Cuz the cold wind blows at precise rates
When I've got my ice skates on
If all the roads
Were paved with ice that wouldn't thaw or crack
I could skate from Maine to Nebraska
Then on to Alaska and back
Cuz you keep me warm
Da da da da da da da da
Peer over the edge
Can you see me?
Rivulets flow from your eyes
Paint runs from your mouth
Like a waterfall
And your lungs crystalize
I'll travel the sub-zero tundra
I'll brave glaciers and frozen lakes
And that's just the tip of the iceberg
I'll do whatever it takes
To change
Farewell powdery paradise
We'd rather skate on the thinnest ice
Fingers failed us before they froze
Frostbite bit down on all our toes
Snow drifts build up and enfold us
As we wait out this winter storm
So we snuggle close in the darkness
And keep each other so warm
Welcome back
Winter once again
And put on your warm fuzzy sweater
Cuz you'll feel much better when
The snowflakes fall
Gently to the ground
The temperature drops
And your shivers freeze all the rivers around
But I keep you warm
Da da da da da da da da
If speed's a pro
Inertia must be a con
Cuz the cold wind blows at precise rates
When I've got my ice skates on
If all the roads
Were paved with ice that wouldn't thaw or crack
I could skate from Maine to Nebraska
Then on to Alaska and back
Cuz you keep me warm
Da da da da da da da da
Peer over the edge
Can you see me?
Rivulets flow from your eyes
Paint runs from your mouth
Like a waterfall
And your lungs crystalize
I'll travel the sub-zero tundra
I'll brave glaciers and frozen lakes
And that's just the tip of the iceberg
I'll do whatever it takes
To change
Farewell powdery paradise
We'd rather skate on the thinnest ice
Fingers failed us before they froze
Frostbite bit down on all our toes
Snow drifts build up and enfold us
As we wait out this winter storm
So we snuggle close in the darkness
And keep each other so warm
As she worked, Sally heard snow crunching under hooves and hot horse breath tickled the back of her neck. She allowed herself a smile and looked over her shoulder at the pure white horse with the white main and single black inky looking smudge over her right eye. It looked like someone had spilt ink on it and the ink, before it had a chance to dry, had gotten smeared. If the horse was to lie down, she would vanish within the white, Sally was sure.
Turning, Sally reached out and stroked the horse's nose gently, whispering, "Hi there, Undine. How's the baby?" Undine tossed her head snorting quietly and sighed, her already swelled belly swelling even more. Slowly, Sally made her way to the horse's stomach and rested a hand on the side of it, grinning when she felt the colt inside react to her touch. "He'll be healthy, Undine. I know it. He'll be powerful too, earn his master a lot of money." After a pause she closed her eyes. "He'll be a prized stallion."
Undine pulled away and tossed her head jogging away to the field and over to the colt's father, a rare black unicorn with a silver horn in the middle of its head. Where he had come from was known, just like no one knew where any of his kind came from. They had all just suddenly appeared and this one had appeared here, at this castle. The breed had appeared less then 100 years ago. They were called nightshadows and were worth more money than twenty pureblooded stallions together, their horns being worth as much as five stallions alone. This one in particular had appeared at the castle a little more than a year ago and had stayed by Undine ever since.
Sally watched as the two greeted each other happily, tails swishing. She smiled sadly before returning to her work with a heavy heart.
The shepherd boy stood on the edge of the river bank, on top of the mountain overlooking his small village, watching the sheep graze. It hadn't snowed there, over one hundred miles away from the castle, it was just extremely cold and frost covered the ground that morning. This boy was the middle child of a family that had seven kids with a single parent; their father. The family was poor and three of the children had fallen ill with a mysterious illness that the queen refused to give them medicine for or even tell them what it was.
The boy's father struggled to make ends meet and the other, healthy, kids worked hard to earn what little money they could for their family. The boy's job was to tend to the livestock, since his leg made it impossible for him to work in a bakery or anything of such.
The boy leaned on the walking stick he was holding and closed his eyes, brewing over his family for a moment and the night their mother left. She had been having an affair and, when their father found out, she fled, leaving him and her children in the poor village while she went to play house with some rich man closer to the castle. He sighed and, without really realizing it, he opened his mouth and murmured softly, "How are we going to survive the winter?"
Rumplestiltskin grinned from his place behind the boy, sitting on the rock, legs crossed like a child's, head in his hand as his elbow rested on his knee.
"Well, lad, I can help you with that." He spoke lazily, eyes flashing mischievously.
The boy, surprised, jumped and turned, holding his walking stick in both hands like a weapon. His eyes widened as he realized who it was who had spoken.
"R-Rumplestiltskin?" The boy whispered. Rumplestiltskin leapt off the rock and crossing on leg behind the other, toes on the behind leg pointing down, heel up, arms spread, bowing mockingly, an ill-filled simper across his scaly face.
"The one and only," The demon peeked up at the boy through his matted and clumped bangs. "So… what is it that you wish?"
"I-I cannot make a deal with you." The boy stuttered, taking a few steps back. "It's like making a deal with the devil."
Rumplestiltskin stood up straight and crossed his arms, puffing out his lower lip in a pout.
"Aww, you're no fun…" He complained. He stood up straighter and seemed to skip around the boy, grinning like a fox, hissing like a snake. "Come now, lad. I can save your family. It's just a small wish with a little, tiny, wincey debt. Nothing major. I don't want much." He clasped his hands on the boy's shoulders from behind and leaned down, whispering in his ear, "I promise."
The boy shuttered at the hot breath on his ear and neck making Rumplestiltskin smile twistedly, dry scaly lips parting to reveal his rotten, yellow teeth and the pink tongue that ran across them. Finally, the boy stuttered out, "I-I wish… I want my family to be able to survive the winter. I want them heal of illness. I want to survive the winter." The scaly grin upon Rumplestiltskin's face broadened, spreading up to his cold, onyx eyes which seemed to twinkle with giddiness and laugh with spite.
"Excellent." Rumplestiltskin whispered into the boy's ear, allowing the "ex" to last a little longer as a soft hiss, releasing the boy's shoulders.
The boy turned to face him and asked, "What is your price?" Rumplestiltskin tapped his chin with a single, long, lanky finger.
"My price…" He thought aloud as he slowly began walking around the boy, stalking him like prey, setting one foot in front of the other as if on a balance beam. "My price…" After a few more mutterings of the uttered words, in which time he had walked to the edge of the river, eyeing the sheep carefully, his face, once again, broke into a snaky fox grin and he slowly turned to face the boy and point a single finger upward in the "1 second" sign.
"My price," He repeated as he slowly laced each long, green-gold scaly finger together, the "-ice" lasting a syllable longer than the rest of the word, fox-grin growing still, causing the onyx eyes to swell with eagerness and pride, their own grins spreading. "My price is simply this: I want one tenth of the livestock you slaughter. Including the heart, brain, and liver." The finger snapped back up as his hands unlaced. "Uncooked! It must be raw, and it must be fresh. You will leave what I ask in a pile on the porch every new moon."
"For how long?" Asked the now trembling boy, fearful of the look in the tricky demon's eyes.
"Hmm…" Rumplestiltskin tapped his chin again, beginning to pace at the edge of the river bank, left foot in front of right, right in front of left. He turned abruptly to face the boy and shrugged palms facing upward, lower lip sticking out a little and he simply stated, "Six months."
"Six months?" Echoed the boy.
"Half a year." Cackled the demon softly.
"You do realize we don't kill much of our livestock," Stated the boy. "Just enough to live."
Rumplestiltskin examined his nails boredly, saying, "Indeed. Like I said, one tenth of which you kill. Heart, brain, and liver included."
"What is it you need this for?" The boy was suspicious. Ohh, that wouldn't do.
In a flash, Rumplestiltskin's face was up to the boy's, nose-tip to nose-tip. The boy gasped and staggered backwards but before he could move much, Rumplestiltskin grasped the front of his tunic holding him in place. He let out a low, dark hiss, "My business is my own, lad. Don't meddle with it!" He release the boy, shoving him away, making him fall. When the boy looked up from his place on the ground at the dealmaker, the grin was back in place, arms spread wide, matted hair blocking a bit of the midnight eyes.
"So," the demonic barter whistled through his yellow stained teeth. "Do we have a deal?" As he spoke, he extended his hand to the boy, other hand still in the air, leg back behind his other one again, this time looking like someone asking for a dance.
The boy scrambled up and, after noticing Rumplestiltskin didn't move a muscle save for his eyes which never left the boy's face seeming to mock him, the boy touched his palm to Rumplestiltskin's and Rumplestiltskin grabbed it tightly, pulling the boy to his chest, draping his arm across the boy's slender shoulders. He snapped and a contract and quill appeared, floating over to the boy.
"All you have to do," Rumplestiltskin murmured, picking the quill out of the air and holding it to the boy. "Is simply sign on the dotted line."
The boy took the quill and wrote his name carefully, slowly, unaware of Rumplestiltskin's inner person dancing with joy, the grin still upon his crusty face as if stained there. Once he was done, the contract vanished as did the quill and Rumplestiltskin stepped away, walking backwards towards the shadows, watching the boy.
"Your wish is done," Whispered the tricky fiend, eyes like flashing like Satan's himself. "I will come the next new moon for my first debt."
The shadows engulfed him, leaving the shaking shepherd boy to stand there, eyes wide as he stared in the shadows where Rumplestiltskin vanished. The sheep baaahed and the wind blew, seeming to whisper, "All magic comes with a price…" and carry Rumplestiltskin's crazed laughter.
It had taken all day but Sally was finally done with all her chores right down to weeding out the entire 25-by-45 foot garden and returning the horses to their stalls. She was worn to say the least and covered in dirt and grime. She wanted to bathe but dinner had to be cooked first otherwise… otherwise the queen would get Shyam to punish her. And she didn't need that. Not for the second time that week.
As she walked back towards the castle, she saw Shyam talking with one of the knights who had just returned from an expedition. They spoke in hushed tones and looked wary of being overheard. Maybe, she thought suddenly. Maybe if she eavesdropped and heard something useful and reported it to the queen, she might be able to go into town for a day! The excitement of the little, rarely-given freedom excited Sally and, due to that excitement, her mind came overclouded with lust of it and she hid in the shadows, creeping over to where Shyam and the knight stood talking.
"…is planning something dangerous, Shyam. I can feel it. He's going to promise her something and when she gets it, he's going to want something in return and he'll have control over her, over the kingdom!" The knight was saying, making Sally frown.
"Rumplestiltskin isn't planning anything," Shyam denied harshly, massive arms crossed over his chest. "And you are a fool to think that the queen would allow someone such as him to have power over her, over her kingdom. It sound like, to me, you want this to happen."
"What? No! Shyam, I just think that the queen is in danger. Rumplestiltskin hasn't been in these parts for years and now he just decides to show up? He never comes here, to this part of the land. He's planning something."
"You're just being paranoid." Shyam sneered.
"No, I'm not!" The knight argued, getting angry now.
As if he could feel someone watching him, Shyam turned his head and look directly at Sally who had been hiding on the side of the castle but not enough so not to be seen when he turned. Her eyes widened as fear overtook her and Shyam's already narrowed eyes narrowed further into mere slits and he, uncrossing his arms, strode over to her and grabbed her French braid yanking it, making her cry out.
"You little bitch!" He snarled, tugging on it further. "You little spy! You were eavesdropping!"
"I-I'm sorry-!" Sally began but she was silenced by Shyam backhanding her. He dragged her out from behind the wall and threw her away. She fell and quickly turned onto her back just in time to see Shyam bring his foot down onto her chest, knocking the wind out of her. She clutched her throbbing chest and struggled to regain air, spluttering and gasping. Shyam stomped on her leg and she screamed, releasing what little air she had gained, as she heard a sickening crack and pain erupted from it.
"You do not," Seethed Shyam. "Listen in on my conversations!" She took a blow to the face and blood pour from her nose as it shattered. The force of the kick sent her rolling a few feet before she was wrenched up by the cruel hands and thrown further away. She landed hard in the white snow, her blood staining it red, and her hand collided with something buried underneath the powder.
An apple, she realized as she looked at what little of it was exposed. A half-eaten apple. Before she could really think about it, Shyam had tugged her up again and aimed a punch at her stomach, nailing her there, making her vomit up blood. The thick, warm liquid trickled down her chin and dripped heavily onto the ground and her fur coat.
Unexpectedly, the beating stopped and Sally was release. She fell to the ground, come face-to-face with a pair of black leather boots made of some kind of skin. Dragon? She wondered. She slowly looked up the boots continuing up the legs, up the torso, past the strong yet narrow looking shoulders and into the green-gold scaled face with the veiled eyes. His face held no emotion as he stared down into Sally's brown eyes, arms crossing over his torso. His dry lips moved but Sally couldn't register the sounds coming from it. Somewhere, Shyam replied but that too couldn't be made to make sense to her.
Rumplestiltskin looked over at Shyam and sneered, yellow teeth showing. Something said, something unclear. A reply. Sally looked over at the half eaten apple then up to her bedroom window where she had sat the night before then to Rumplestiltskin who was still talking to Shyam.
She felt someone touch her and looked over at the knight who Shyam had been conversing. He was using a chunk of ice to dab at her wounds so he was no threat to her. Her eyes swerved back to Rumplestiltskin who wasn't looking at her but still at Shyam. His eyes, however, did slide to her and the knight as Shyam spoke to him only to return to Shyam to smirk as his arms unfolded and he bowed mockingly, snarled hair becoming a curtain for his eyes. Shyam took two strides forward and sent Rumplestiltskin flying with the back of his hand.
Rumplestiltskin landed hard on his side in the snow and he blinked once, twice, before realizing what had happened and quickly standing. Shyam, however, had taken Rumplestiltskin's confused moment to walk over to him and send a punch flying at him. Rumplestiltskin was luckily ready and grasped the fist in the air and twisted it behind the cup bearer before kicking him in the back with the sole of his foot, making Shyam stumble forward and crash to the ground. The trickster snarled something, yellow teeth bared and dry lips curled back, seeming much like a wolf.
Shyam stood, fury flashing in his eyes but it vanished at the sound of the queen.
"What the hell is going on here!"
Sally blinked as she realized she could make out words again, thankful for it, and looked to where the queen was coming from. Behind her strode the butler, always there willing to please, a worried look upon his face.
"My liege," Shyam said, bowing his head before standing up straight and pointing to Rumplestiltskin. "This… this… thing-!"
Rumplestiltskin snapped his fingers silencing Shyam with ease, only making the man more furious with the inability to talk. Not paying attention, Rumplestiltskin bowed his head, grinning.
"Hello, my liege." The snaky fox spoke before raising his head and looking at the queen straight in the eyes.
"Rumplestiltskin." The queen sneered. "What do I owe this… pleasure?"
"I was simply… passing through," he began. "When I saw your cup bearer acting very uncivilized towards the girl there." The queen's eyes barely passed over Sally and the knight.
"And what, exactly, would you know about civilization, Rumplestiltskin?" The queen challenged, making the man before her throw back his head and laugh.
"Forgive me, my liege," Rumplestiltskin said after a minute, trying to calm down. "But I found your question amusing. Yes, it's true I have forgotten what "civilization" is but I do believe that abusing a girl with such talent as her is considered to be very, very uncivilized."
"Talent?" The queen spat. "What talent could that girl possibly have!"
"She plays guitar and can sing." Was the simple answer that fell from the bargainer's lips.
Slowly the queen looked at Sally. "Musical talent?" Sally swallowed and nodded slowly, knowing exactly where this was going. The queen would be furious and have Shyam beat her if not kill her for disobeying the rule of keeping secrets from the queen. After all, she was the fairest of them all so no one could do her the dishonor of keeping something from her.
"How well?"
"Extremely." Said Rumplestiltskin, snaking around the queen and placing his hands on her shoulders, leaning over to her ear and whispering, "I sense that she could earn some money very quickly, my liege. Very quickly indeed. She could… attract audiences to your castle so you could be praised by your people in the comfort of your home. They wouldn't be afraid of coming here. She would make them feel safe while here and not only that but make beautiful music to fill your home. Wouldn't that be nice, my queen?"
The queen eyed Sally carefully for what seemed like forever, making Sally sweat despite the cold before, finally, she nodded slowly.
"Yes," She mused. "That would be nice." Rumplestiltskin leered and stepped back arms open, eyes laughing.
"Ah, don't you see? Your cup bearer was ruining the chance for all this to happen. She is the key, my dear. She is the one you want to take especially good care of!" He swiftly was by Sally's side and had picked up one of her hands and was stroking the palm. "Because hands like these and a voice like hers doesn't come around very often, does it, my lord? And if she's hurt, well, she can neither sing nor play and thus, her talent is wasted."
Sally yanked her hand away, disgusted by this man touching her, by what he was saying. Her music was hers and hers alone and now, with this man somehow knowing her secret—how did he know exactly? Oh wait, he's Rumplestiltskin, she reminded herself, he knows everything about everyone—the queen would use her to her own benefit. And she hated him for exposing it.
"Shyam!" The queen snapped. "This girl isn't to be touched by your hands again. Do you understand? And you are to take up her chores. From now on, girl, you will play music and sing for me when I wish it. And if you don't, you will be put right back where you started since you have no use for the talent if it cannot be enjoyed by me." With that being said, and not waiting for anything in reply, the queen spun on her heel and walked back towards the castle until a thought occurred to her. She stopped and turned back abruptly to see Rumplestiltskin examining his nails. "Rumplestiltskin!" He looked up eyes wide and innocent.
"Why yes, my darling dear wonderful queen?" His voice was dripping with mockery but the queen decided to ignore this and continue on.
"You are to be responsible for her," Ordered the queen. "Make sure she doesn't do anything I would not approve of. You are to become her keeper."
"Ah," Rumplestiltskin held up a finger and slowly began walking towards the queen, left foot in front of right, right in front of left. "But for that, there is a price."
"And what, Rumplestiltskin, could you possibly want?" The queen snarled mockingly, obviously tired of his games.
At this, Rumplestiltskin grinned once again and stated simply, "A place to stay."
-OUAT-
Author's note:
Told you it was long...
What did you think? Is Rumplestiltskin in character? What about the queen? Any predictions on what you think will happen?
Please, please, please review/add (if you haven't added it already). And don't forget to tell others about this story! Facebook/Twitter are great ways to get it out there to other Once Upon A Time and Rumplestiltskin fans. :D
In the next chapter, there's actual Rumplestiltskin/Sally reaction. I'm actually really excited to write that chapter and post it.
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Can't wait to read your reviews!
-Draco