Once Upon A Time: Remember Me

Seven

The Enchanted Forest - Before Wonderland

I grab the bucket off the table in my small cottage and call to my father, "I'm going to fetch some water!"

"Go to the tavern and fetch me back some ale too!" He yells from his bedroom. I wait but apparently that's all he wants so I walk out. It's sunny outside but I'm in a bad mood so I can't appreciate the warmth.

The tavern is on my way back from the well so I stop by after filling up the bucket. As soon as I walk in, I can sense people looking at me but thankfully, the chatter doesn't stop.
I walk to the bar, smiling half-heartedly at the man behind it. "Good morning, do you have any ale I can buy?" I ask.

"You're Smithy's daughter?" The man looks me up and down. "He wants a drink?"

"My name is Scarlet. I want to buy some ale," I say firmly. I hate being associated with my father. And anyway, what if the ale is for me?

"He was in 'ere last night, talking about his oh so beautiful daughter. Seems like he was telling the truth." The man smirks and I try to hide my look of disgust but I obviously fail because he grabs my wrist and pulls me in close. "Listen, sweetheart, don't look at me like I'm scum. I'm a relatively good guy and you could do a whole lot worse. Your drunkard of a father lost at cards last night. He never was good at it. But he bet too much. He lost and couldn't pay. Offered you to me to clear his debt."

I feel like throwing up as this man leers at me, eyes travelling to my chest and back up to my face. "Listen, sweetheart," I reply with a less confident voice than I would have liked, "my father doesn't own me. He can't just hire me out to clear his debts."

"Oh, you're fiery, huh? I'll soon get that out of you. You'll be a submissive and weeping mess when I'm finished with you. Just you wait and-"

"Wait and what?"

I twist out of the barkeeper's grip to see a dark haired man leaning against the bar, glaring at the barkeeper. He looks at me, maybe assessing if I'm hurt but it just feels like he's checking me out. I've had enough of people doing that today! "Who are you?" I demand.

"One minute. Let me deal with this scum here before you fall madly in love with me," he grins at me then turns to the barkeeper. "You touch her and I'll rip your hand off."

"I'm not your property!" I scowl but I'm ignored as the barkeeper comes round the bar to shove the other guy in the chest.

"You came in here alone," the barkeeper snarls. "My friends and I can beat you up and leave you to the wolves."

"So I should be scared?" The man asks cockily. "Because I'm bloody terrified of some village man with no intelligence and bad breath."

The barkeeper punches the dark haired man. There's a few yells and then the dark haired man is fighting back. Several other men come to help the barkeeper and the rest of the tavern's customers flee. I watch as the dark haired man knocks out the local butcher but gets hit by the baker.

"Want some help?" I call.

"The battlefield is no place for a lady."

"Old fashioned notions like that are going to get you killed," I say and grab a bottle from the bar. I smash it over a man's head and kick him as he falls down. "And I'm no lady."

The man looks at me and I see something like a smile on his lips before he starts fighting again. I help by hitting two men with bottles then it's all quiet and we're the last two standing. "Well," I say. I lean over the bar to grab some ale in a bottle. "Goodbye."
I walk out.

He runs after me, hand grabbing my arm and pulling me back. "Just goodbye?"

"What did you expect? Tears and kisses?" I stare at him. "I don't know you."

"I just defended your honour, a kiss would be enough payment."

"I can defend my own honour," I reply.

"Didn't look like it. From what I heard, your father sold you to him to repay his debts? You don't deserve to be treated like that."

"Maybe I do. You don't know me. I could be a mass murderer."

"Any pretty lady doesn't deserve to be treated like that."

"Again, I'm not a lady."

"Who are you then?"

I hesitate before answering. But he's surely not from around here. I've never seen him before. "My name's Scarlet."

"Pleased to meet you, Scarlet," the man holds out his hand and I reluctantly shake it. "My name's Hook."