The Evil Queen had sent Chrissy an invitation to "join her for tea and crumpets in the left central courtyard". It sounded so formal that Chrissy had spat on the laminated invitation then tore it to shreds and let the pieces fall down her window located in the center of a turret.

The wind had blown the pieces into a pretty pond in the courtyard below her window, which location she neither knew nor cared.

The maid who'd handed her the invitation had adjusted her glasses. "I assume that's a no?" she asked with a round mouth before massaging her greying temple.

"Please, it's outside! It's a yes. A big, fat yes. But that doesn't mean I like her invitation." Chrissy couldn't read that well anyway; the maid had read most of it to her. "It's too pretty for me."

"Mm-hmm," nodded the maid robotically, studying Chrissy's bare feet waspishly. "You're the one who bit your buttons off your dress, eh?"

"I am," the five-year-old answered flatly.

The next day (today), the same maid had come to collect Chrissy and escort her to the correct courtyard. Along the way, she'd made plenty of small talk, enlightening Chrissy that anything to do with underage citizens, she was required to do since "children like me better than any of the other Queen's employees".

Chrissy didn't like this maid much, but she had to privately admit she wasn't as bad as other people. She liked Belle less than this maid. And of all Snow White's servants that Chrissy had come across, this one at least seemed to somewhat care about other people's comfort and to try to meet them halfway. Though she still had to do the Queen's bidding (and would not, say, help Chrissy escape, should she wish to enlist her guidance), she seemed to lack the callousness of a psychopath. She was taking Chrissy's feelings into consideration.

And certainly she could be more comforting, but Chrissy could be more ladylike. The "vulture woman", as Chrissy privately called her, couldn't help that she was a bit standoffish, and if Chrissy tried to be more of a "lady", she'd be denying her own personality.

Besides, she wouldn't have trusted someone who was too chummy with her in this castle. Though she'd grown up in another country, she'd still heard some of the true stories of Queen Snow White betraying others with the sweetest smile on her face. Had someone been too sweet to her, even in her young age, her hackles would've raised, and she would've bit them.

Rumple's demeanor toward her had been the nicest anyone had, but it'd also had the aroma of being genuine. Growing up with uncaring parents like Chrissy had, if she hadn't sensed his authenticity, she would've bitten him too, since in her experience, people were only super nice to manipulate her to behaving how they wanted. If she obeyed, they'd promptly discard then forget her immediately afterwards.

Which had been partially why she hadn't been too alarmed when her imposter foster parents had been a little wonky. To Chrissy, perfection was neither something to admire nor shoot for but something that had something repulsive lurking murkily underneath its mask.

The courtyard the Evil Queen had selected for their meeting was like a maze. It was fun for Chrissy to navigate. As she followed the maid through it, she leapt up and swung briefly from the branches that hung slightly higher than the servant's head. Her eyes were sparkling with fascination. The courtyard below Chrissy's window was boring and far too pretty for Chrissy to be interested in it.

When a thorn snared Chrissy's fine garments (given by the Queen), Chrissy smiled. She loved thorns. So messy. So natural.

There was a table with a throne for a chair in the center of the courtyard. The maid beckoned to a different chair then left without making sure Chrissy sat. Still, where did she have to go? Obediently if somewhat churlishly, she sat.

Bluebirds were perched on the surrounding trees. There was a fountain a couple of feet from the table where several bluebirds were bathing. An elaborate and oversized bird feeder with bluebirds, squirrels, and chipmunks eating together hung from the prettiest tree in the courtyard. One bluebird perched fatly on the center of the top of the throne, so content its head was burrowed under its wing and it was making tiny noises that sounded to Chrissy like a bird version of snoring.

Before she could wonder if maybe she ought to go back and swing from a tree branch instead of sit like a poodle, Chrissy noticed the "tea and crumpets" weren't tea and crumpets after all. Her eyes narrowed as she exhaled a mannish snort. It was coffee with a variety of creams and sea turtles. Chrissy hadn't known someone could eat sea turtles, but she didn't like sweets; her tongue hated eating food with too much sugar. And she found herself completely curious what a sea turtle would taste like.

She didn't bother waiting. She reached for a bite of the cut-up turtle and ate it quite fast. Considering it was hot, it scorched the roof of her mouth, but her tongue was doing all kinds of happy motions when it tasted the reptile's meat. Her eyes nearly formed heart shapes, and she felt dizzy.

She was pondering if the Evil Queen had put some potion on it to make it seemingly taste so good when it actually tasted like bat dung when the woman herself approached, dressed in a strapless black dress that flaunted her cleavage. Black gloves made of sequins adorned her arms from her fingertips to her elbows. Her hip-length black hair was done up in a very sweet updo with white roses in it. A bluebird was positioned at either shoulder, and she extended one of her gloved fingers, for a bluebird clutched it with its tiny feet.

"You like the turtle?"

"Best food I've tasted," Chrissy admitted warily, though she couldn't imagine how the Queen could use her feelings against her.

"I've noticed you rarely eat your dessert I offer you. Usually, you'll take two bites and leave the rest on your plate. Figured this would butter you up better."

"Butter me up?" Chrissy rubbed her face, feeling for rawness. "Am I a lobster now?"

Chuckling with false hilarity, the Evil Queen murmured, "Oh, dear me! Not you! I simply meant…" Chrissy dropped her hands to the table and eyed Snow White crossly, wanting her to get whatever-it-was out of her system without that annoyingly fake laugh. On second thought, she snatched up another bite of turtle and stuffed it in her mouth. The Evil Queen reached a hand out to stroke Chrissy's hair, but before she could touch it, Chrissy smacked the bejeweled hand away. The side of her pinky collided with Snow White's biggest ring and left a welt, but she'd be damned if she let that woman pet her head.

Sitting like a poodle wasn't Chrissy's style, but being petted like one was even worse.

"Look, dear, I'm sorry about those dresses. I'll have my seamstresses sew you some fine boy clothing, if that's what you want."

"Oh," Chrissy smiled snarkily. "I would sure love some nice, comfortable pants made for this jungle you told me you're having me shipped off to. But I don't want them to be boyish. Just made for climbing. Maybe make them green with pink and purple polka dots…in varying sizes!"

"That's what you want?" Queen Snow White asked, trying not to look at Chrissy like she was crazy because she wasn't asking for shiny gold pants with a skirt on top of them. A flouncy skirt that would fly when she spins. "I mean, of course, my seamstresses can cook such a thing up. And make it splinter-proof so you can climb safely. But," and she reached to walk her fingers over one of Chrissy's hands. Chrissy moved it. It was frustrating for Snow White because part of her manipulating people she needed to do her bidding into believing in her and wanting to do what she asked involved touching them in a way that made them adore her. But Chrissy was having none of it. "I just…need you to do something for me. In return." She couldn't stop herself from frothing at the mouth in excitement. "I mean, of course you'll want to repay my kindness?"

Chrissy popped another bite of sea turtle between her lips. As Queen Snow White sat back in her throne, extending her arm so the bluebird on her finger was higher than her elbow, a maid came and poured each of them a cup of coffee. Making both of their coffees with the extra stuff on the table. Chrissy watched her warily, and when she'd finished, the young girl took the offered cup. Holding it by the handle, she peered in the cup with one eye shut, the other full of scrutiny. As if she were a jeweler trying to determine whether a supposed diamond was forged. The dark brown liquid seemed harmless enough, so she took a big gulp to show Queen Snow she wasn't frightened of being poisoned.

The liquid didn't taste half-bad but she'd swallowed it too fast and was now overcome by hiccups. Her knee violently hit the underside of the table. Another maid rushed to give her a half-drunk bottle of water and talk Chrissy out of the hiccups.

It took roughly five minutes for the hiccups to subside, and by that point, Chrissy's nose was burning because some of the coffee had drained out of her nose. She didn't feel quite so tough as she liked to feel.

When every maid was out of earshot, Chrissy said, "Alright, lady, what is it you want?"

Queen Snow White's ego smashed against her lips. Scowling darkly, she growled, "You will not address me as 'lady', or you will be caged."

Chrissy had to fight her nerves to amend herself. "Sorry, my queen. What would you like?" She was scowling back at Snow, but her tone was not disrespectful.

Crossing her eyes as she brought the bluebird in front of her and she stared at it, Snow White began to pet the bird. "There's a part I need you to play."

"A part?" Chrissy repeated uncertainly. "You mean…all this so I can be in a play? What? You kidnapped me," she stated incredulously, "because you think…I have a talent for acting?"

"No, dummy," Queen Snow White snapped. "Not that kind of part. It's a real-life part, a matter of," she hitched her shoulders up. The snoring bird on the top of her throne lifted its head and blinked sleepily, "life or death." The queen rose to her feet and announced churlishly, "If you refuse this, to the chopping block with your head!"

Daydreaming about the jungle, Chrissy took a dainty, feminine sip of her coffee. It went down a lot better this time. "If I do this part for you, then I get to live in a jungle?"

The Evil Queen cackled. "Yes. Of course you will, my dear. Play this part right, and you will never have to worry about going inside ever again. Because you will be an independent person living in a jungle…like a monkey!"

Curiously, Chrissy wondered, "Will I be living alone in this jungle?"

"Oh, no, my dear. There's animals, tons of animals. And boys. Lots of…lost boys. But no parents to tell you to scrub your face and put on a pretty dress for a dance and stop climbing trees. I think you'll love Neverland, I really do, but you must do what I tell you to in order to get there."

Chrissy wasn't sure she loved the idea of not having parents who cared about her, not after knowing Rumple…he was such a good father figure for her. So loving…he genuinely cared about her wellbeing in ways her biological parents never had. It was nice to have someone who'd be upset if she broke her leg…or died…and Belle…Belle hadn't loved her, not really, but every now and then, Chrissy did get the keen sense Belle wanted her to be happy. That Belle did, deep down, care about her wellbeing.

And Chrissy knew her older brothers never had.

It was nice to have someone to care…but there was no use lying to herself. Those days were likely over for Chrissy anyway. She might as well bury the dream of feeling someone care about her, because under Queen Snow White's supervision, she wasn't going to be loved anyway.

Nah, she was going to be shipped off to a jungle where she would never have the option of being loved again…but she would get to live in a jungle!

So she tucked her dream behind her, ready to sever it when she found a good knife. Extending her hand, she made a deal with the devil.