Three Days and Nights ( A Rumplestiltskin/Phantom of the Opera story)

Chapter One

*Christine's POV*
I sigh as I finally am able to sit down. I have been cleaning the house all day, not that it will last more than a week anyway. Father will always come back from the tavern at his usual time of six with another bottle in hands.

Ever since my mother's unexpected death last year, father has never been the same. He began drinking, mainly to numb his pain, and also began to isolate himself, meaning I barely ever see him. Father also quite his job as a blacksmith, so I got a job as a waitress at the tavern so we could continue to survive. Father has never recognized me at the tavern, so I continue to work there. Along with the job, I also take care of the cow, ten chickens, and two pigs we own. My mother had always loved the idea of having a small farm, so father bought all the animals and everyone equally took turns taking care of them.

If only my mother had never died, none of this would be happening. As I sit, I remember that I need to go buy some bread from the baker. Sighing, I stand and head to my room to change.

Once in my room, I walk over to my closet and pull out my favorite blue dress. It was mother's and she gave it to me about two years ago, saying it would look better on me. I quickly pull the dress on and head out towards the door. Before leaving, I peek inside my father's room to see if he is there. Gone. "He must have gotten a head start today," I think, sadly. I push the thought and head out the door towards the bakery.

As I walk, I begin to sing softly. I have always loved singing and it always cheers me up. My mother taught me the basics of singing when I was younger and I haven't forgotten them. Singing is one thing from my mother that will never fade from memory.

I make it to the market faster than usual, which is unusual for me. I hum softly as I continue to make my way towards the bakery. The bakery is near the center of town, meaning I run into a lot of people.

I finally see the bakery in view and I slightly quicken my pace. As I walk, someone bumps into me, causing me to fall on the cobblestone. "Ouch," I mumble.

"Are you okay," I hear a beautiful voice ask. Looking up, I see a man standing up, looking down at me with one of his gloved hands extended out to me.

"I'm fine," I say as I take his hand. The man helps me stand before letting go of my hand.

"I'm sorry," the man says with the same beautiful voice as I brush the back of my dress.

"It's fine," I say as I look back up at him.

The man is wearing black pants and a white shirt with a black waistcoat. But the most intriguing detail is the hood that is covering most of his face. Even though I can't see his whole face, I think I can see the outline of a white mask, but I'm probably wrong.

"Once again, I'm sorry for running into you," the man says, bowing.

"It's quite alright," I say, curtsying slightly.

The man turns to leave, but I stop him. "Wait," I call out to him. The man stops and turns around slightly. "What's your name," I ask him.

"I does not matter," the man says flatly before quickly turning back around and walking away.

I stand there for a moment thinking about what happened. Why didn't he tell me his name? I push the question out of my mind for the moment and walk into the bakery.

I quickly buy a loaf of bread and head out. The minute I am outside, I hear the sound of trumpets and I know what that means; the king is coming through town.

The king who rules here is not like the ones in the stories. His name is Raoul, but demands to be called King Raoul. Most of the people in his kingdom are living in poverty because of the high taxes he makes everyone pay. He does very little to help our town grow and prosper. No one likes him, but no one has the courage to stand up to him because they will be put to death if they speak against him.

I hear the sound of hooves and boots clicking against the cobblestone, getting louder with each passing second. I know if I don't bow, it will be considered an act of rebellion, meaning an execution the next day. I lower my head and curtsy as I hear the hooves click by me.

"Hey, wait a minute, your Highness," I hear a drunk voice yell. I freeze with fear; I know that voice. I look up and hope it's not who I think it is. I feel myself pale once I see who it is; it's my father.
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Hey guys. I know this is a short chapter, but I promise they'll get longer. And I will do my best to post a chapter every other day, which I hope makes up for the short chapter. Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter