Magic Tales: Sea and Snow

(The Price of Defiance) or (Anger Issues)

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"A human boy?" Chase's dad asked. Doing a rather good job of sounding confused.

"That was almost convincing." Dominic sneered. Making it clear that he wasn't fooled in the slightest.

Victor laughed condescendingly. And then said, "Yes, Mr. Stiltskin. A human boy. He should be around thirteen n-"

But he was cut off by the eruption of a three foot tall volcano. When thinking back on the moment Amy would later reflect that Chase's dad seemed to have the temper that all redheads had.

"You dare insult me so!" He shouted.

"Well it doesn't take much daring to do so." Dominic muttered, but his words were drowned out by Chase's dad's fury.

"My name is Rook Red Cole! I have no relation to that piece of miserable flesh that calls himself a dwarf. He brought shame to us all because of his little shinanigen. Especially the Blond Clan! Although the Blonds have alway been a bit foolish, that Rumple was down right itiotic!"

"That's what you say Junior." Dominic scoffed. "But we know your real name is Rubin Red Stiltskin. Don't even think of denying it. That will only succeed in making you seem all the more guilty." 

Rook, Rubin, whatever his name was, shook his head. "What has the world come to? Is it such a bad place that a dwarf can't even defend his innocence." He lamented.

Dominic's beady eyes bulged with indignation. "Innocence! What nonsense!" He roared. Spit flying out of his mouth with each exclamation point he seemed to put at the end of all his sentences. He had a temper like a fiery dragon, Amy reflected. He was an ice sculpture with a blazing heart of unresterand fury.

But her musing were cut short, by the booming bark that was Dominic's voice. "We know for a fact, that you are the son of Rumple Blond Stiltskin!"

As soon as the last remnants of his shout faded away, there was complete silence. No bird twitter a cheerful hello to the forest. No breeze whistled a merry tune. It was one of those moments, that if they were in a movie, the soundtrack would have screeched to a hult.

Amy was tempted to ask Chase if the Stiltskin Dominic was talking about, was the Rumple Stilkin. As in the 3 foot tall dude that spun straw into gold. The one that had made a deal with a princess. Her first born child in exchange for his golden straw spinning services.

But she was afraid that any noise she made would give away their hiding place. So she did the almost impossible task of quelling her curiosity, and stayed silent.

Finally the quiet was shattered by Chase's dad's fake indigence. Amy could tell it as fake, because just a moment before, his expression had been a mixture of complete surprise and fear. His hairy red caterpillar eyebrows had skyrocketed into his mass of vividly red hair. (His cap had been knocked off when Victor dropped him all a sack of old potatoes.) Only now had he regained control of his facial muscles.

"Ye must be the craziest person in the world to think I-" Chase's dad started to say. But Victor's silky voice cut off his protests, as smoothly as a hot knife through butter.

"Enough!" His voice wasn't necessarily loud, but it would have effectively silenced the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa. Which was recorded as the loudest sound in the entire world.

"You have made your choice. You have refused to answer our questions. You have directly opposed officers of the Empress's and Queen's army. Now you will face the consequence! But I will let Dominic do the honors of telling you what they are."