Baker's Apprentice Who Lives In A Shoe

The Castle

I am so hungry. I haven't had one meal in a couple days. Rumple was captured by Snow and Charming. Cinderella tricked him. I understand why she did what she did, but you can't escape a deal with Rumplestiltskin. That was not what I was worried about, though. Rumple said he wanted to be in that cell, so I have to trust that he knows what he is doing. Since he has been locked up I have been hanging around Snow White's castle. I have not ventured too far away because I wanted to keep an eye on everything.

I fly around the castle looking for any sign of stray bugs that might be hanging around. Yes. I eat bugs. They are delicious when I am in my parrot form. I finally hear the flapping of tiny wings. If I could smile as a bird I would. I locate the flapping and see a cricket. It is a pretty big one too. What a treat. I fly a bit closer. It lands on a windowsill and I make a dive for it. At the last second it spots me and flies inside. I fly after it, chasing it around the room. My wings ended up knocking things over. A man in the room grabs the cricket and gives it to a small boy. Then he gets a broom and starts swatting at me.

"Wait." I said. "Wait, you don't understand." The man stopped trying to hit me with the broom as I flew to the center of the room to turn back into my human self. "Is the cricket a pet of yours?"

"No, he is a friend." I must have looked about ready to faint because the man brought over a stool for me to sit on. "Who are you? Where did you come from?" I looked up to him. Then I looked past him. The small boy was still holding the cricket.

"No one you need to fear, at least when I am in this form." The boy smiled at me as he came closer. "I was only chasing your friend because I have not had a meal in a couple days." The man seemed wary of me still. Then the cricket flew up to me. I saw that he was actually wearing tiny clothes and he had a tiny umbrella as well.

"My name is Jiminy Cricket. We could get you something to eat if you are that hungry." I smiled at him. "I am afraid that I am not on the menu, though." That made me giggle.

"I will go see what the kitchen is cooking." The man said. "Come, Pinocchio." The boy ran to the man as they both left me alone with Jiminy.

"Don't worry about him. He is just very protective of me and Pinocchio." The cricket says to me.

"I don't take offense to much these days." He tilts his head to the side. "I am actually here to keep a prisoner company. I love him deeply, and I don't know what I would do if something bad happened to him."

"Who is he?"

"If I say, you might not trust me so much."

"If that is the case, then you telling me would make me trust you more." I took a deep breath. I know what people thought of my Rumple, but I saw a different side of him. A softer side did exist. The side that was constantly looking for his son existed. I have seen it.

"His name is Rumplestiltskin." Jiminy jumped back a bit. I don't think he was expecting me to blurt out that name. "Please, I didn't come here to get him out. I just wanted to be with him. I am so used to living with him that I don't know what it is like to be without him. I would go so far as to say that he is my true love." Jiminy continued to listen to my ramblings

"Calm down. You are not Rumplestiltskin himself. In fact I have heard nothing of you in the rumors around the kingdom." I let out a sigh of relief. "Have you ever gone out with him to collect on his deals?" I did not have to think very hard.

"No, I only took care of him and his castle." That is when the man and Pinocchio came back with some food. A woman also came with them. I stood up realizing that this woman was The Snow White. Rumple talked about her, and his dealings with her.