Princess Rumpelstiltskin | ONC 2024

Chapter Eight

Rumpelstiltskin stirs from their slumber, eyelids fluttering open. As consciousness seeps back into their mind, they stretch, limbs unfolding beneath the weight of the blankets. The golden-haired woman rolls onto their knees and peeks out from under the heavy blankets.

A glance at their surroundings reveals the familiar sight of Princess Rosa's chambers. It's still dark, the room barely illuminated by the slivers of dim blue light through the curtains. The shadows of the shimmering curtains hanging around the bed, the gilded furniture, and the ornate tapestries adorning the walls, all serve as reminders of their current guise.

With a yawn, Rumpelstiltskin swings their legs over the side of the bed and drops to a crouch. Head tilted, listening. Nothing moves and no voices raise the alarm. The night is still.

They slowly begin to stalk around the room. Starting with the drawers by the bed, they curiously investigate the few items within; a tin of salve, a collection of resin bookmarks containing pressed flowers, and a leather-bound notebook.

They tuck the notebook into their arms and pick their way to the shelves by the mantle, searching. With a small sound of triumph, they pick up a box of matches, whisking a wooden stick from within and lighting it. Its trembling flame is passed to a waiting candle.

They hold the candle aloft, using its small halo of light to make their way to the chair by the fireplace.

The notebook is bound in high-quality leather, with gold leaf in a vine motif embossed on the cover. Opening it, they find themselves face to face with Rosa's diary ... and immediately snap the book shut again.

Rumpelstiltskin hesitates to reopen the private article, but only for a moment. Rationalising their sneaking espionage. Information is power. The more I understand Princess Rosa, the better I can play her role. And who knows, maybe Rosa's diary will help me decide what to ask as payment for the contract with the king.

They begin to leaf through the pages, absorbing the intimate thoughts contained within. The first few pages contain a child's scrawl and scribbled pictures of a golden little girl with a horse, wearing a cape and holding a sword, and holding hands with the king and queen (if the lopsided yellow crowns are anything to go by). The last page of childlike thoughts detailing the princess' wish to be allowed outside is immediately followed by a shift in tone and calligraphy. Detailed accounts of relaxed days and notes on being an effective heir to the throne written in more self-assured penmanship sit between sketches of the view from the balcony.

Although the change in penmanship is startling enough on its own, Rumpelstiltskin's curiosity is peaked by a series of numbers written in perfect calligraphy in the margins.

1.3.14

1.7.260

2.1.5

3.6.804

And more...

They flip through the pages. The numbers don't appear to follow any pattern or refer to the contents of the princess' thoughts. They flip through the pages for a few more minutes before they put the diary down.

The vines embossed on the cover shimmer in the candlelight. Rumpelstiltskin puts the diary on the little table and begins to explore the princess' quarters.

As they explore, they discover little details they'd missed in their initial assessment of the rooms.

A cupboard filled with tins of healing salves and bandages is just behind the door of the bathroom.

In the dressing room, several sets of unworn riding clothes have been hidden in the farthest of the wardrobes from the door.

All the tapestries in the main room depict the history of the Rosa Kingdom; all but one, a smaller tapestry depicting a heroic knight locked in combat with a robed sorcerer and a black dragon, hanging above the bed.