Author's Note: This is the first fairy tale I have written post RSBI-death. This probably isn't going to be the last fairy tale I do, but at the moment I don't see myself doing too many more of these. Nothing is written in stone though so we'll have to see.
Before the Show
Relm: Hello everyone I'm home!
Amelia: Miss Relm is back!
Lina: It's about time. Where the hell did you go to anyway? It's been what 2-3 years? And how long has it been since you did a fairy tale?
Relm: (sweatdrop) Yeah I know. Everything went to shambles. But I'm back in the fanfiction world with a new fairy tale to tackle!
Zelgadis: Dear lord what is it going to be this time?
Relm: Well back when I started these fairy tales I had decided that I would at this point be doing one of three fairy tales: Thumblelina, Rumplestiltskin or Rapunzel.
Zelgadis: Okay Thumbelina would be an obvious one with Lina in the title as it is.
Relm: Yes too obvious. So obvious that I've decided not to do that one at all.
Zelgadis: And with Rapunzel... Zel is in the title of that one... I honestly hope you are not going to do that.
Relm: (laughing) Too bad I'm not into doing yaoi fics, or that would be an interesting one. But then again I could still do it in a non-yaoi way... though it would be extremely odd.
Zelgadis: Relm I will hurt you.
Relm: Don't worry I'm going with Rumplestiltskin this time.
Zelgadis: And because I'm a chimera you're going to make me Rumplestiltskin aren't you?
Relm: Nope. But this time around I think I want to focus more on Filia, as she hasn't appeared in too many of these tales.
Filia: But I liked it that way...
Relm: Shut up... It's going to be called Rumplexelloskin and here's the cast list:
Miller: Val
Miller's daughter: Sylphiel
King: Gourry
Daughter of the King and Queen: Filia
Rumplestiltskin: Xellos
Queen's servant: Zangulus
Zelgadis: Lina and me get the day off?
Relm: Yeah sure why not? I want to change things up a bit this time.
Filia: You said that you wanted to focus more on me... but you make me the child in the story. This looks more like a Gourry/Sylphiel fic to me...
Relm: Though this story will more closely follow the original fairy tale more so then my previous ones it will be longer. I have a whole other story that tacks on when the original fairy tale ends. So I'm fleshing this one out quite a bit.
Xellos: (in character already) Look at me I'm small!
Filia: (scrunching her nose in disgust) And ugly.
Xellos: Oh c'mon Filia darling give me a kiss!
Filia: Eeeeeeeek!
Relm: Okay okay let's get this going already!
...
Rumplexelloskin
By Relm
Long long time ago in a seemingly peaceful kingdom a miller was having an argument with the King. You see the miller wasn't a very nice man; he had stolen money that was supposed to go to help build a new orphanage. There had been a big earthquake and many buildings had been destroyed. The king had allocated funds to pay for rebuilding things. Since so much was destroyed there wasn't a lot of money to go around. So when the king found out about the orphanage funds being stolen he wasn't happy about it.
"Val what do you have to say for yourself?" King Gourry demanded.
"I'm sorry King Gourry! I can repay you! I'll get you money. I'll even fix up the orphanage myself!" Val cried out begging.
"I doubt you could get enough money to repay what you have stolen." King Gourry shook his head. "Stealing from children. Why I should have you hung for it."
"I know, you can have my daughter." Val suggested.
King Gourry was confused. "Why would I want your daughter for?"
"Well you see... she has a special ability... she can spin straw into gold!" Val lied. 'It's a good thing King Gourry isn't bright.'
"That's splendid! Why should could make us enough gold to build two orphanages!" King Gourry cried out. "Bring her to the tower!" King Gourry ordered his men. "Fill it with straw and a spinning wheel. Tell her that she has to spin all the straw into gold within three days or her father will be locked away forever!"
Val paled. "I could get herself my King. You needn't bother your men." 'I need to a chance to escape!'
"No, my men will do it. And you miller Val will be locked in another tower. You'd better hope that your daughter can spin all that straw. Because if not you will be locked away forever." King Gourry said in a singsong voice.
(Zelgadis: I thought you said you were following this one more closely.
Relm: I know but I can't see Gourry executing someone for not being able to spin gold.)
...
Sylphiel sighed as she looked around at all the straw before her. She had been told what had happened and she couldn't believe it. She her dad tended to tell tall tales to make himself seem more important but this was taking it a bit far. "I wish Daddy didn't like to gamble so much. Why did he have to steal the money for?"
A part of Sylphiel wanted to just sit there in the tower for the next few days and do nothing just to teach her dad a lesson. But of course she wouldn't do that to her dad nor could she disappoint the orphans. Though how was she to spin gold? She was just a normal girl after all. "What am I going to do? I can't spin gold out of straw!" Sylphiel cried out.
"Well I can. Maybe I can help you." A little ugly troll like man stood before Sylphiel sporting a smile on his disgusting face.
(Zelgadis: Troll?
Relm: I liked that better. Just imagine him as an imp or something.)
"Eeeek!" Sylphiel cried out. "You scared me! How did you get here?"
"Through the window." The little man pointed to the one window in the tower as he hopped off his ladle. "Do you want my help?"
"Would you help me?" Sylphiel begged him.
"But not for free. I require payment."
"What do you want?"
The troll man looked Sylphiel over with keen interest. "That pearl necklace you're wearing. I will take that for payment for today."
Sylphiel looked at her necklace. It was one of the few things she had left of her mother whom had passed away. 'If it's for dad then I have to. It's what she would have wanted.' "Alright." Sylphiel handed the troll man her necklace.
"Okay then let me get started."
...
All throughout the night the troll man spun the straw into gold. It was an amazing sight, Sylphiel had never seen such a thing before. But as Sylphiel watched him she found herself growing tired and sleepy. And before she knew it she had fallen asleep.
The next morning when she had awoken the man was gone and there was a big stack of gold all neatly piled into a corner.
KNOCK KNOCK!
"Come in!" Sylphiel called out.
King Gourry came in carrying a plate of food. "Wow you really can spin straw into gold..." King Gourry said in amazement.
"Is that for me?" Sylphiel looked at the tray of food with interest.
King Gourry smiled. "Well just because I'm keeping you here doesn't mean that I can't be courteous. I'm very sorry about this situation. But your father left me no choice."
Sylphiel. "I understand. I can't believe that he would steal like that. But since my mother died he's been depressed and filling the void with gambling. He's addicted I know. I'm very sorry for what he did."
"Well if you need anything Sylphiel please let me know." King Gourry flashed Sylphiel a large smile as he left the room.
"The king is so hansom." Sylphiel blushed while eating the breakfast provided.
...
That night the troll man appeared before Sylphiel. "I'm back."
"Are you going to spin straw into gold for me?"
"I will as long as you have something to pay me with."
Sylphiel frowned. All she had that was worth anything was her ruby ring. "I only have this."
The little man looked at the ring with greed in his eyes. "That will do nicely." And thus he began working.
...
The next day King Gourry took Sylphiel from the tower and showed her around the castle. They had a wonderful time talking and laughing.
"You're so charming King Gourry." Sylphiel smiled.
"Really? I don't think so. But if you say so then I guess so...?" King Gourry laughed. "You know Sylphiel it's so nice of you to spin that gold for us. The orphans will be so happy to have a place again."
Sylphiel suddenly felt very rotten. "It's nothing really."
"No it's really nice of you!" King Gourry insisted. "I don't know what we would have done without you."
"Um... well thank you. I think I should get back to my room. I had a wonderful time King Gourry." Sylphiel sped off in a hurry.
...
Sylphiel sat in her tower room not sure what she was going to do. She knew if the troll man was going to spin straw for her she would need something of value to give him. But she didn't have anything to give him. But then she couldn't let the orphans down. Oh and there was her father's freedom too. Though that wasn't the most present thing in her mind at that moment.
"What am I going to do?" Sylphiel cried out loud.
"Hello my dear. What do you have for me today?" The troll man appeared before Sylphiel sporting his usual mischievous grin.
"I have nothing left of value. But could you still please spin the rest of the straw? Please?" Sylphiel begged him.
"If you have nothing to give me, then I will not spin the straw." The man went to leave but Sylphiel grabbed at his clothes.
"Please I'm begging you! Is there anything, anything at all that I could give you that will convince you to spin the straw?"
The troll man turned around and stared at her. "Anything you say?"
"Yes anything!"
"Okay then." The man started to spin the straw for her. He didn't tell her what the thing was that he wanted. But Sylphiel didn't care. She was happy that he was spinning the straw into gold.
...
The next morning Sylphiel awoke to the sight of gold everywhere. The troll man had spun every last bit of straw into gold. As she looked around at all the glittery gold she didn't notice the note by her bed right away. But as she got up off the bed she knocked the note to the floor. "What's this?" Sylphiel picked up the note and read it.
My dear girl,
As you promised for spinning the straw into gold you told me that you would give me anything. I have decided. I will take your first born child. I'll be waiting.
Sylphiel crumbled to the ground and started to cry.
...
Sylphiel eventually came clean with King Gourry and told him everything. King Gourry felt awful for what he had unintentionally done. He blamed himself for putting Sylphiel in this situation and promised to deal with the troll if he tried to steal Sylphiel's first child.
King Gourry truly meant to keep Sylphiel's child safe. As it was he had fallen in love with Sylphiel and asked her to marry him. She had said yes though she was sad. They didn't know when the troll man would return.
...
Years later King Gourry and Queen Sylphiel were blessed with a child. A beautiful daughter with blond hair and bright blue eyes.
"What should we name her?" Queen Sylphiel asked her husband as they looked down at their bundle of joy.
"How about Filia?" King Gourry suggested.
"That's a lovely name. Princess Filia." Queen Sylphiel smiled at her little baby. "She's precious."
"Yes she is." A voice said from the corner.
King Gourry and Queen Sylphiel looked to where the voice was and were shocked to see the little ugly troll man.
"How did you get in here?" King Gourry demanded drawing forth his sword.
"Doesn't matter." The troll man cackled. "I've come for the child as per our agreement."
Queen Sylphiel held tight to her baby. "I would have never agreed to give you my child. You never told me that was what you wanted."
"To be fair you never asked. Now give me the child." The troll man held out his hand.
"No. I'll give you all the gold and riches of the kingdom instead." Queen Sylphiel offered.
The troll man laughed. "I can spin gold from straw. Do you think I want money?"
"Please I beg you don't take my daughter!"
The troll man thought for a moment. "I'm not an evil man. I'll give you three days to guess my name. If you can guess it then I will renounce my claim to your daughter."
Queen Sylphiel thought hard. 'Had he told me his name?' "Jaltiskin?" Queen Sylphiel guessed.
"Not even close. I'll be back in three days." The troll jumped out the window flying through the air riding a soup ladle.
"What are we going to do?" Queen Sylphiel cried out.
"We'll think of something. Our little Filia isn't going to go with that little ugly man." King Gourry announced.
...
Queen Sylphiel sat at a desk writing out name after name that could be the troll man's name. She had no idea what it was and was prepared to shout out every name she could think of at the third day so that she could keep her daughter.
Meanwhile King Gourry had Queen Sylphiel's most trusted servant Zangulus to find the troll's home and try and get information and hopefully the name of the troll man. But it had already been two days and Queen Sylphiel hadn't heard from Zangulus.
"I only have one more day. Hopefully Zangulus comes back soon."
...
The night before the troll man was to return to the castle Zangulus was still looking for the troll man's home. He had tried to get as much information about the troll man as he could from the people in the village by the castle. What he had been told was that the troll man lived in a mountain cottage. So up the mountain Zangulus went looking for this cottage.
When Zangulus was about to give up he saw smoke coming from above the trees. Cautiously he approached where the smoke was coming from. What he found a cottage with a fire pit in front of it with a fire roaring. The troll man dancing around the fire singing away.
"Today I dance, tomorrow I cheer.
The coming of the child is near.
How thankful I am that no one had a hint.
That my name is Rumplexelloskin!" The troll man sang over and over as he danced.
(Zelgadis: Is that the song he actually sang?
Relm: Nope, the only translation I found had Rumplestiltskin preparing food so that he could I guess eat the baby with...? I don't know. I'm not going with the baby eating version here. So yeah, plus this rhymes... kinda.)
Zangulus grinned as he left the troll man to dance. "I must get back to the Queen."
...
The next morning the troll man rode his ladle to the castle entering the King and Queen's bedroom window. "I have come for the child." He announced as he went to the cradle where the baby was sleeping.
"If I can guess your name, then you'll leave." Queen Sylphiel got in between him and the baby.
The troll man smiled a devious smile. "If you can."
"Alright then. You're name is Rumplexelloskin."
The troll man's eyes where as wide as saucers. "NO! HOW DID YOU FIGURE IT OUT?" Rumplexelloskin yelled out.
"Now leave you vile creature!" King Gourry yelled at Rumplexelloskin almost slashing the troll man with his sword.
Rumplexelloskin hopped on his ladle and flew out of the window.
...
Many years went by and Princess Filia grew up happy in the castle. She loved her parents dearly as well as her subjects but Princess Filia kept dreaming about what the outside world was like.
Since that day when Rumplexelloskin had came to try and take Princess Filia away, Queen Sylphiel and King Gourry had been very protective of their little daughter. They were very afraid that the little troll man would try and take Princess Filia again. So they kept Princess Filia inside the castle.
"Daddy couldn't I just go to the village?" Princess Filia pleaded to her father.
"I'm sorry sweetie. You're only fifteen. It's too dangerous." King Gourry insisted.
"If Rumplexelloskin was going to come after me then he would have by now. He's gone Daddy and he isn't coming back." Princess Filia pleaded.
"I'm sorry. But you can't."
Princess Filia pouted and stormed to her room. This was an argument she had with her father every day. Usually with everything else Princess Filia could get her way, King Gourry had a hard time refusing his only daughter. But not about leaving the castle. It didn't matter how much she begged or cried he always said no. "I want to go outside." Princess Filia looked out her window daydreaming about the world outside the castle.
...
The next day Princess Filia felt very bold and she tried to sneak out of the castle. This wasn't the first time she had tried. Many times she had tried to run off but each time she got caught. But this time was different. Princess Filia was fifteen now, and much more clever. She had spent weeks analyzing the guard's behaviours and found her window of opportunity. So this was the first time Princess Filia managed to get outside the castle. She had taken a servant's cloak and covered herself. Trying her best to blend in Princess Filia explored the village by the castle.
The people were nice and friendly and the sounds and smells were a delight to her senses. But as interesting as the village was she kept looking to the mountains. To where the troll man supposedly lived.
So against her better judgement Princess Filia set off to find Rumplexelloskin, the troll man in the mountains.
With only bedtime stories as her guide Princess Filia wandered the paths leading up the mountain. In just like the story Zangulus had told her, Princess Filia found Rumplexelloskin's cottage.
Rumplexelloskin sat by his fire pit idly stirring the pot of stew he had cooking. He sighed heavily as he cooked.
Princess Filia was surprised by the little troll man's appearance. Sure she had been told how ugly the creature was many times over the years. But looking at the little man she didn't think him that ugly or as evil as she had been told. The only thought she had was that the troll man looked lonely. Even as she thinking these thoughts over Princess Filia's stomach grumbled as she smelled the stew. She had taken off from the castle right before lunch, and lunch time had come and gone. Princess Filia was hungry and unable to think about anything more.
Rumplexelloskin looked up and noticed Princess Filia hiding behind a tree. "If you are trying to hide you're doing a horrible job." He announced.
Princess Filia came out from her hiding spot and walked up to the troll man. "You're Rumplexelloskin aren't you?"
Rumplexelloskin sighed. "Yes I am." He said bitterly.
"You're the person that tried to take me as a baby." Princess Filia said with a smile.
Rumplexelloskin glared at her. "You're Princess Filia? You can't be, you're much too old." He wanted to be angry and scare her away but when he looked into her eyes he couldn't help but feel entranced by her beauty. He had to shy his gaze away.
Princess Filia sat down next to him. "Perhaps you've spent too much time up here alone. You've lost track of time. But it's been fifteen years."
Rumplexelloskin grumbled.
"Why did you want a baby anyway?"
Rumplexelloskin didn't answer he just continued stirring the stew.
"That stew smells nice. What's in it?"
Rumplexelloskin grinned evilly. "Babies."
Princess Filia rolled her eyes. "Really Mister Rumplexelloskin I know that's not a baby in there. What is it really?"
Rumplexelloskin grumbled. "Aren't you afraid of me?"
Princess Filia shook her head. "Nope! Not one bit Mister Rumplexelloskin. Hmmm... Your name is too long. I'm going to call you Mister Xellos! What's in the stew?"
"It's boar stew."
"It looks very tasty." Princess Filia commented while her stomach grumbled once again.
"I'll give you some if you give me something in return." Rumplexelloskin flashed her an evil grin.
"How about this?" Princess Filia fished around her cloak and produced a bouquet of flowers she had gotten in the village.
Rumplexelloskin or 'Xellos' stared at the girl. "The food could be poisonous."
"Nah you were making it before I came. So unless you were planning on killing yourself then it's fine. So do we have a deal?"
"Fine."
Princess Filia smiled triumphantly as she got bowls and spoons for her and Xellos.
Xellos glared at Princess Filia as she served him and her stew. He didn't know what the girl's motives were for coming here.
The two ate in silence. The mountain forest was calm with a slight breeze flowing through the trees.
Princess Filia marvelled at the scenery. "It's so beautiful here. I can see why you built your cottage here. It's so peaceful."
"I built it here because the villagers wouldn't let me be in town." Xellos said bitterly.
Filia frowned. "That's not nice."
"Life and people are rarely fair and nice."
"Well you may not look like everyone else but you do make good stew." Filia commented. It was good stew, she ate two bowls worth!
Xellos raised an eyebrow. "You're a strange girl."
Princess Filia laughed. "Thank you for lunch Mister Xellos. I need to get back before they realize I took off. Maybe I'll come by tomorrow! Bye!" She waved as she skipped off back into the woods.
Xellos grumbled. He had gotten so used to people hating him that having someone being nice was a very unsettling. His first reaction was to crumple the flowers he had gotten and throw it into the fire. But instead he took it into his home and put it in a vase with water.
...
For the next two months Princess Filia snuck out of her castle home and went to visit Xellos for lunch. Each time as per the arrangement she brought him something she bought from the village to exchange for the meal. It was usually flowers in some form. Bouquets, potted plants, paintings and sculptures... Xellos' home was so full of flowery things that you'd think he was living in a flouriest shop. Usually for payment Xellos took valuable things. But he couldn't refuse the princess. Not when she smiled at him like that.
"I think I know why you wanted a baby." Princess Filia announced one day.
"And what reason is that?" Xellos frowned.
"You're lonely. You wanted someone around that would be your friend."
Xellos let out a sad sigh. "I wasn't a troll my whole life..." He started to explain. "I made a bad decision and a made a witch very mad at me. She cursed me to stay in this form. The only way to break the curse is to get someone to love me."
"And you decided stealing a baby was the best way to do this?"
"I tried at first to get people to like me. But I couldn't get someone to like me let alone love me. I tried so many ways to get people to like me. Nothing I did worked. I was getting desperate and then I had a thought. A child loves their parent no matter how ugly they look. I don't know if a child's love would be enough but it was the only thing left for me. I had even tried to adopt a child from the orphanage. But those running the orphanage wouldn't let me."
Princess Filia felt so bad for Xellos. "So you tried to steal me from my parents?"
"It was my last desperate act. I have given up hope."
"You shouldn't. There has to be someone out there for everyone. I'm sure there's somebody that will love you Mister Xellos."
"That's a nice thought Princess. But I know it's not true." And there he went again spiralling into a pit of depression.
"Well if you can be befriended by a princess who is supposed to fear you, then I think you could find someone to love you. In fact I know it be so. And you're not allowed to disagree. I am the princess and what I say goes. If do try to disagree I will have you punished and locked in a dungeon." Princess Filia stated with her head up high.
Xellos smirked. "So it is against the law to disagree with the princess?"
"Of course. It's always been the law. Didn't you know?"
That got Xellos laughing. "You know I wasn't aware of this law."
"Well then it's good I told you." Princess Filia flashed him a smile. "I should go, I'll see you tomorrow Mister Xellos."
"Unless you get caught Princess." Xellos warned her.
"It's been two months; I've gotten so good at sneaking out that they will never find out. Bye!" Princess Filia waved as she left.
Xellos sat there waving back to her as he watched her leave, her golden hair just a blur as she disappeared into the trees. Though he smiled he knew his daily visits with Princess Filia weren't going to last forever. She would get caught and then he would never see his golden haired princess again. 'May as well enjoy it while I can. Nothing good lasts forever.' And that statement was very true, as Xellos wasn't the only one watching Princess Filia scamper back to the castle.
...
"I must see the King at once!" Val yelled quite loudly trying to barge his way into the throne room. He got the doors open but he was being held at bay by the castle guards.
"You can't just barge in like that!" One of the guards protested.
"The Queen is my daughter you fools! Let me through!" Val screamed.
"Let him through!" Queen Sylphiel called to the guards from the throne room.
The guards did as told and Val rushed toward his daughter and son-in-law.
"Val what's wrong?" King Gourry asked. Though Val was Queen Sylphiel's father, he still wasn't that fond of his father-in-law.
"Why are you letting my granddaughter run around the town outside the castle without any bodyguards?" Val demanded.
"Father!" Queen Sylphiel shook her head. "We haven't let our dear Filia out of the castle since she was born! Whatever would give you the idea that she's running around the town amuck for?"
"I saw her! At first I thought I was seeing things. I kept seeing this golden haired girl around town every day and I thought it was just a coincidence that she looked like Filia. But today I got a better look, and I'm sure of it! It was her!" Val insisted.
"You haven't been drinking have you?" King Gourry asked more wondering than asking.
"No! It was her I swear it! And she was visiting... him!"
"Who?" Both King Gourry and Queen Sylphiel asked in unison.
"That scoundrel Rumplexelloskin!"
Gasps were heard all around in the room.
"No. There's no way my little Filia would be running off to see that... thing. You must be mistaken." King Gourry insisted.
"I'm sure of it. It seems she's been visiting the creature for the last two months. No doubt that creature must have casted a spell or poisoned her mind. He must be planning something evil."
"What if he plans to kidnap Filia?" Queen Sylphiel gasped in horror. "We must do something!"
King Gourry unsheathed his sword. "I will kill the beast."
"No my liege!" The castle guards protested.
"They're right. As King you shouldn't fight the beast." Zangulus approached the King. "You are too important. And besides I've been told that the beast's hide is so thick and strong that a sword could not cut it."
"Then what should we do?" Queen Sylphiel cried out.
"I know a way we can put a stop to his terror without even laying a finger on him." Zangulus assured them. And then he let them on what things his research on the mischievous troll man Rumplexelloskin.
...
The next day was a raining one, but that didn't deter Princess Filia. Her spirits were high as she made her way up the path leading to her troll friend's home. In her hands she held something that she was quite proud of. She had been working on it all week and it was just finished. She had made Xellos a clay pot that she painted flowers all over it. It was very good and she was sure that Xellos would love it. "Mister Xellos!" Princess Filia called out as she approached the mountain cottage. "Mister Xellos! Come out of your home. I'm here!"
Within a couple moments Xellos appeared from out of his door. "Hello Princess. What do you have there?"
"Today's payment. I made it myself." Princess Filia held up the pot for him to see.
"Oh how I love flowers." Xellos commented with a laugh. His laugh died quickly as he noticed that Filia wasn't the only visitor he would have that day. "Princess you were followed." Xellos commented pointing toward the path that she had come from.
Princess Filia looked where Xellos was gazing and noticed that he was right. Up the path Princess Filia saw her parents, Zangulus and several castle guards approaching the cottage.
"Filia get over here!" Queen Sylphiel called out to her daughter and motioned for her to get away from Xellos.
"No! He's my friend!" Princess Filia protested.
"He's not your friend; he's evil and has poisoned your mind." King Gourry said very sternly before addressing Xellos. "I won't let you try and take my daughter again!"
"And what makes you think you can do anything to me?" Xellos asked playing the part of the villain though he had done no wrong. He walked up to them staring them down showing that he had no fear in his heart.
"We know the secret to stopping you forever you creature!" Zangulus sneered. "Rumplexelloskin, Rumplexelloskin, RUMPLEXELLOSKIN!" Zangulus called out.
Xellos let out a wordless cry as his body froze and turned into stone.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Princess Filia screamed with tears rolling down her face as ran toward her friend. The pot she had been holding fell to the ground breaking into a million pieces. "What have you done?" She screamed at Zangulus.
"Saying his name three times in a row turns a creature like him to stone." Zangulus explained.
"WHY? Why do this to him? He wasn't hurting anyone!" Princess Filia choked on her sobs as she crumpled to floor.
"He would have honey." King Gourry tried to console his only daughter. "We couldn't chance that he would try and hurt you. It was for your own safety."
Princess Filia wasn't listening to her father; she was too busy mourning the loss of her friend.
...
Everyday around lunch time after that fateful day Princess Filia went to visit her friend. Though the troll man once known as Rumplexelloskin was but a statue standing by the cottage that he once lived in, Princess Filia still went. She would place flowers at his feet and she would talk to him. Deep down she knew that her friend couldn't hear her and would never hear or talk to her again. But she still did it anyway. Not visiting him and talking to him was admitting that he was truly gone and wouldn't come back.
Every day the people at the castle pleaded with her not to go, but Princess Filia didn't listen. For a whole year she did these daily visits. Until that day on the anniversary of the petrifaction of Rumplexelloskin...
No one said anything to Princess Filia as she left the castle. They all knew it was the anniversary and nothing was going to stop the sixteen year old princess from going to the mountain cottage.
One year ago it had been a rainy miserable day, though there wasn't anything Princess Filia found happy about the current day, at least it was sunny.
Xellos was exactly where he had been all these months. Standing with a face marred with pain and his arms outstretched.
Princess Filia was very solemn as she put the new bouquet of flowers at his feet. Most days she would just pretend that it was like the days before he was stone, and would carry on having conversations with him. Even though he couldn't talk back. But not today.
First it was one tear, then another and another. Until it was a fountain of tears falling down her face. She knelt before the statue and hugged it. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry Mister Xellos! This is all my fault. You warned me, I got too confident and I got caught and you paid the price. I shouldn't have gone to see you, I should have left you alone. If I did then you wouldn't have been turned to stone! I'm sorry I was stupid! But I couldn't stay away from you. Because Mister Xellos, I never told you this... but... I love you!" Princess Filia's cries were now sobs as her tears splashed on Rumplexelloskin's head.
At that moment something wondrous happened. The tears that splashed on the stone started to glow and the statue of Rumplexelloskin the troll man started to change.
Princess Filia backed up as she watched as the statue came to back to life, but not as a troll man. The man that stood before her was a tall man with shoulder length purple hair and purple eyes. He was dressed in regal clothes, too regal for a troll.
The man stared as his hands in amazement. Then he looked down at the princess kneeling before him.
"Mister Xellos?" Princess Filia timidly called out as she rose to her feet.
Rumplexelloskin smiled as he scooped up Princess Filia in a tight embrace. "You beautiful lovely soul, you have made me human again! Oh how I love you!" Xellos cried out before he kissed his dear princess, the healer of his body, heart and soul.
THE END
Zelgadis (shaking his head): Only you could give a happy ending to Rumplestiltskin... And what's with the calling his name three times bit? Kinda a knock off of Beetlejuice don't you think?
Relm (throws a book at Zelgadis): Oh shut up you cynic! I like happy endings and seeing how the story is all about his name if just fit alright?
Amelia: Um shouldn't someone save Miss Filia? (Amelia pointed to Xellos and Filia whom were still locked in a passionate kiss.)
Relm: Nah leave them be. I'm sure Filia will beat the crap out of him when she realizes the story is over. (Places Filia's mace within reach of the golden dragon.) Anyway thanks for reading folks! Until next time!
Lina: When's that going to be, 4 years from now?
Relm: Oh shut up!
SMASH!
Xellos: Ow that hurt...
