The Wolf's Den

Path 3: Tilli, Chapter 6: Part 1

        The next door they found held thorns, and as they glanced around them, Heinrich pointed out a beautiful, blonde-haired woman holding what appeared to be twins, one a boy, the other a girl. Despite how short her hair was, it was very fine in appearance, well groomed but unevenly cut. Despite the rags the children and their mother wore, they seemed moderately happy, to a point. As Tilli approached them, the mother looked up warily, staring blankly at her.

        "Is there anything I can help you with?"

        "Me? I'm just a neutral role, there's nothing special with me or my children. We've been banished from our story, cast away from home by my mother the she-hag. I'll never see my prince again because of her." Despite her words, the young woman spoke gently, almost kindly, towards who hurt her. Noticing this, Heinrich hummed in thought.

        "A... Neutral character, you say? You actually have no affect to those around you? You poor thing." In reply, she shook her head in destitute. Pausing a moment, he looked to Tilli then the woman. "A princess, then, if you've been given a prince. Or... Perhaps not yet a princess. Where are you from?"

        "I don't know... There was a tower, that's all I can really remember because I've never been sure where my tower was. I learned something important though, through all this."

        "What's that, then?" Tilli said.

        "Neutral characters are ignored by your Mr. Wolfe. He doesn't bother with us because we do so little, we follow our stories but nothing else. We're not granted our happy, or unhappy endings, but we're granted free roam if we act the part of our story."

        "And what's yours?"

        "Me? We're impoverished beggars with precious little to wear. Only... I'm not allowed to sing anymore. I used to be an amazing singer, but he's taken that away from me. My children can sing, but I cannot."

        "Is there any way to help you?"

        "I don't know for sure. All I know is Mr. Wolfe has a key and I need it to get to the room where my prince is held, blinded and alone in a dark room."

        "We can try to help you, though. Heinrich and I are good at that."

        "If you're sure he won't hurt you, then I suppose we could try."

        Slowly standing, her children standing, too, she took each of their hands in one of her own per child, each child shivering. "I'm... I'm Rapunzel. I apologize for not saying so earlier. It's just that... My name doesn't matter anymore. Mr. Wolfe told me that."

        "Would you like my cloak? It'll make you a little warmer if you're cold." Taking her cloak off and holding it out to them, she smiled warmly to each new face, having been careful to not injure Heinrich by removing the cloak. "My friend, Miss Snow, she... She got taken, but she patched my cloak up for me not too long ago, and you need it more than me. You can call me, Tilli, by the way. My friend, the frog, his name's Heinrich."

        Each child's face lit up at the thought of warmth, and their mother's face wasn't far behind. "Thank you, Tilli, Heinrich. This means so much to us."

        When each child was settled with it over them, their mother sparing no warmth for herself, she made sure they were still near her and they continued on their way until they got to the right door, the handle on the outside with a lock on it. Standing outside the door, Tilli frowned, shaking her head slightly. "Are you sure he's in here?"

        Rapunzel only nodded.

        "Okay... Heinrich, can we open this door?"

        "I'm not entirely sure, but I can go check, to not put you at risk of running into Mr. Wolfe. I'll be back soon as possible."

        "Just... You be safe, okay?"

        "I will, I promise." As Heinrich hopped down from her hand to the ground, upon being close enough, he glanced at the four humans with him before hopping away to find the key.