She hardly had time to scream when the vine snapped and she started to plummet to her death. But Bob screamed enough for the both of them, even after their drop had come to a sudden halt.
"Oh, no. What have I done?" Danica whispered to herself as she placed her hands over Bob's mouth to quiet him.
"You made a good choice, dearie." It echoed around Danica as she was hoisted up.
"I should never have agreed to that deal," Danica stated once she was face to face with Rumplestiltskin again.
"Can't take it back now, dearie. No one breaks deals with me." He curled his upper lip and sneered at her.
Danica slumped against the maze wall, resting her head in her hands. Her stomach felt as if someone had sat on it and tears threatened to fall.
"What are you going to do with my baby?"
"I'm going to skin it for its pelt and eat the rest of it in a stew."
Danica looked up at him in horror, to which he giggled.
"Just a quip, not serious," he sang out.
"Who's he?" Bob whispered in her ear, using her as hiding spot.
"Rumplestiltskin," Danica mumbled.
"He scares me."
"So what happens now?" Danica asked, looking up at Rumplestiltskin.
"Well, we made a deal. I'll help you get to the goblin city, and when the time comes you'll give me your first born."
Danica nodded as she stood, "Then lead on."
"Oh no, you misunderstood me. I'm only here to help, not take over."
Danica sighed and wandered down the path which had been blocked by trees, and now miraculously cleared of even the smallest of weeds.
JRJRJRJR
"I wouldn't go that way, dearie."
Danica growled in frustration before swivelling to face Rumplestiltskin, "You said that when I wanted to go the other way."
"Ah, but that makes it easy. Go the other way."
Rumplestiltskin crossed his hands behind his back and giggled at Danica.
"There is no other way."
"Things aren't always as they seem," Bob said peering out behind Danica's leg.
Rumplestiltskin nodded his head and walked up to the spot where the two paths forked out. "Your little friend is correct. It's the... rule upon which the labyrinth was built." He twirled his hands dramatically in the air before he walked straight through the wall where the paths started to split.
"Wait for me!" Danica cried as she scrambled after him.
She hesitated once she reached the wall. The previous wall she walked through did not have eye-plants on it and this one had, which made her pause. The eye-plants were really there, she made sure by running her hand over them.
"Tick tock, dearie!"
"Am I really going to be able to do this? I won't just hit my noise against the wall, right?"
"Not unless you want that to happen." He giggled before sticking his head through the wall , to stare at her with his abnormally coloured eyes. "Well?"
"I'll go first!" Bob declared, grabbing Danica by the hand and walking straight into the wall.
With a cry Bob jumped back and rubbed his nose fervently. He looked up at Danica with big teary eyes before a sob escaped his mouth.
"Oh, don't cry." Danica dropped down to one knee and pulled Bob into a hug. "I'm sure it won't happen again."
"That's insanity, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said, his head still sticking halfway out of the wall.
"What is?"
"Doing the same thing over and expecting a different result."
"But you said I'd be able to walk through the wall." Danica huffed and moved Bob's hands aside to see how badly he had hurt his nose.
"Unless..."
"Unless I didn't want to."
"Perhaps your friend wanted to bump his nose..."
"I did not!" Bob cried out, stomping his feet.
"Really, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, focusing on the Bob.
Bob shrank back and hid behind Danica once again.
"Okay, I'll trust you," Danica said as she hoisted Bob up to cradle him in her arms. After taking a deep breath she walked up to the wall and slowly made her way through it.
On the other side of the wall an open pasture was spread out in front of her. Bright pink patches of thistles grew scattered throughout the pasture. The sun was setting in the horison, throwing an array of colours out into the sky just behind where the goblin city danced in the distance.
"Wow, this is beautiful..."
"You only have three hours left, I suggest you get moving." Rumplestiltskin said.
"Aren't you coming?" Danica asked.
"No, I said I'd take you to the Goblin City and here we are."
"Oh, alright. I guess this is good-bye then."
"For now. I'll see you again in a few years."
Danica waved her greeting before she and Bob made their way toward the intimidating city.