Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 55 - The Cure For Heartbreak

Snow stood by the edge of the woods. A spear held up, next to her head, aiming it at a turkey take stood in the field. She held it up ready to attack when the turkey flapped it's wings and flew away in fear. Snow looked around prepared for whatever was coming her way. She heard the sound of a twig breaking in the silence and then suddenly a girl in a red cloak carrying a basket of food walked past.
"Hey!...... It's me." Red said when she saw Snow holding a spear up ready to throw at her.
Snow closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Red."
"The spear, Snow?" she said, pointing at the spear.
"Oh." she let the spear down. "Sorry." she walked towards Red. "I wasn't expecting you for a month."
"It's been a month."
"Has it?"
"You're really taking well to the solitude, aren't you?"
"It's fine. It's exactly what I wanted. To be out here. Away."
"And that you are." she held up the basket full of food. "Here you go."
"Oh, thank you." she said taking the basket. "So, how are things back in the world?"
"Come on...... Ask what you really want."
"I don't know what you mean."
She tilted her head, disbelievingly.
"Okay. Fine...... Tell me."
"The wedding is happening."
Snow looked up into her face.
"Prince James is marrying Midas' daughter....... In two days time."
Snow said nothing.
"You okay?"
"I just thought the longer u was out here the easier it would be to forget about him. But.......instead, all u do is think about him."
"I'm sorry."
"I wish there was a way to get him out of my head."
Red said nothing and moved her eyes down.
"What? Is there?"
"Of course not. I mean, that would be........" she started.
"Red, what do you know?" she interrupted. "Come on, I helped you when no one else would. What do you know?"
"Well........there are whispers. Whispers of a man who can achieve even the most unholy of requests......... A man who can do what you ask."
"Who is this man?"

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Snow rowed in a little boat through the waters. It was dark and mist surrounded the place. The only light to be seen was from a small lantern by the tiny dock.
Snow stepped our of the boat and onto the dock. She tied a rope from the boat to the dock.
"How much for this?" asked Rumplestiltskin's voice.
Snow looked up to see him sitting in her boat in the water.
She looked around in alarm to see where he came from. "Excuse me?"
"Your boat. Exquisite craftsmanship."
"It's not for sale."
"Of course it is, dearie. No one comes to see me without a deal in mind."
Snow stood up. "So, you're Rumplestiltskin."
He stood up in the boat. "Indeed, I am." he took a bow then stepped onto the dock. "I've been looking forward to meeting you..." he touched her face. "Wow....... You reallocate the fairest of them all, aren't you?..... What can I do for you?"
"I need a cure."
"What ails you, child?"
"A broken heart."
"Ah, the most painful of afflictions."
She nodded.
"Well, I'm afraid if you want me to make him love you, no can do. Nothing can."
"No, that's not the problem. We can't be together."
"Now that, I can help you with." he pulled from his belt a tiny, empty bottle and chuckled, his evil laugh. Then he went down on his knees, pulled off the stopper and dunked it in the water below. He then shook the bottle and the clear water became white.
"That'll do it?" said Snow.
"Not yet. No two loved are exactly alike." he got to his feet. "We must make this......." he stepped forward and yanked some strands of hair from her head. ".........personal." he chuckled and slipped the hair into the bottle.
"So, if I drink that, I'll no longer love him?"
"The nest time you see the abject of your grief, you won't even remember who he is."
"Won't remember him?"
"Love is the most powerful magic, so the cure must be.........extreme."
"Extreme sounds like an understatement."
"Don't doubt yourself now, dearie. Love makes us sick......... It haunts our dreams, destroys our days. Love has killed more than any disease........ This cure is a gift." he held up the bottle.
"What's your price?"
"These will do." he said, holding up the leftover strands of hair.
"What do you need of my hair?"
"What do you need of it, now it's been plucked from your head?"
Snow said nothing and gave a little smile.
"Do we have a deal?"
Snow took the bottle from Rumplestiltskin's hand.
"I thought so......... Drink it in good health......... Snow White."
Snow's expression changed, in the fear that he new who she was. She watched him as he disappear into the mist.

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Mary Margaret walked through the store, doing her shopping. She took some batteries from the shelf and put them in her basket. She then took a bar of chocolate from the next shelf. Then as she walked around the corner she walked straight into Kathryn. Their baskets clashed and all of their groceries fell to the floor.
"I'm so sorry." said Mary Margaret.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it." chuckled Kathryn.
Regina stood near by watching the situation.
"I wasn't looking."
They both bent down and began to pick up their groceries.
"Clearly." said Regina.
Mary Margaret glanced up at Regina.
"Oh, is this yours?" asked Kathryn, holding out a bar of chocolate.
"Yes, thank you. And this must........" she picked up from the ground a pregnancy test. She looked at it awkwardly and handed it to her. "Good luck."
"Thank you."
Regina watched Mary Margaret carefully by the corner of eye.
Kathryn stood up with her basket and turned away.
Mary Margaret slowly gotta her feet, her face in shock as she watched her walk away.
Regina stepped in front of Mary Margaret.
"I trust you'll be discreet." she said. "Their lives are their business. Not yours."
Mary Margaret nodded and Regina walked away.

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Charming stood at the open balcony in the castle, staring out into the night. Down below, in the castle music was being played.
Suddenly the door opened and King George walked inside. "James." he said holding a chest.
Charming glanced at him. "How goes the feast?" he turned around to him.
"Your absence is felt. It is after all, in your honour." he placed the chest down on a table. "I thought this might rouse you from your chamber. He took the lid of the chest off to reveal a magnificent gold crown.
"You could feed the kingdom for an entire winter with that crown."
"It's a gift. From King Midas. For you to wear as you marry his daughter. Once that is done, our new prosperity will allow is to feed the kingdom for all eternity........... Show some enthusiasm."
"Enthusiasm wasn't part of the deal. The wedding is in two days. I have honoured your wishes."
"Well, I want your heart, not just your honour."
"My heart shall belong to Abigail."
"You think I'm a fool, don't you....... Your heart can't belong to Abigail when it's held by another woman. And don't deny it. I know that look...... Who is she?"
"I met her on a journey. We haven't seen each other since.......but she stayed with me.
"Forget her."
"You speak as if that's so easy." he smiled.
"Nobility was not meant to be easy. All this wealth? The power we hold over other men's lived? Do you think that comes at no cost?"
"I asked for none of it."
"You were chosen....... To be my son...... Plucked from poverty, wanting for nothing. Be thankful for that."
"It wasn't charity, father. It was the only way to save your kingdom."
"Watch youself, boy. This is a choice you made, a tole you have taken. Honour it. There is too much at stake. Do whatever it takes to get that woman out of your head........because nothing is gonna stop this wedding."
King George walked from the room.
When Charming saw hi turn the corner in the corridor, he ran to his desk by the window, dipped a quill on some ink and began writing a letter on some parchment.
"Dearest Snow.............." he wrote.
When he had the letter written he took a dove and gave it the letter. He held the dove in his hands by the balcony. He looked at the dove once more then let it free. It flew through the dark sky.
"Find her." said Charming.

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Ruby ~ Red