The Huntress

Chapter 26

"Well well well, what've we got here now, my pets." I hear a voice say as we enter what used to be my old living room. Now it kind of resembles some kind of empty-ish storage for odd trinkets. There's jars of what looks to be...body parts. I wrinkle my nose in disgust and quickly look away. There's also some furniture, my old furniture. But it's all beat up and torn in places. The curtains are drawn shut and look a little tattered, as well.

Feet moving our way make me glance up.

A shadow is making its way towards us. I'm thankful it's dark, but am glad that my hood has stayed up thus far. I don't want to know what he'll do when he finally recognizes me...

"What? She can scream her precious little lungs out as long as there's a wall and bit of water between us, but - as soon as she sees the Beast - she looses her tongue. Tsk. Tsk. You didn't rip it out of her, now did you?" I recognize the voice, but it can't be. This person sounds completely mad - like he's lost his mind or something.

"No, sir...we didn't." Leftie says from beside me. He's obviously the smarter of the two in my opinion - at least he seems to have the power of coherent speech. Even though he sounds like a slow robot...

"Good!" Rumple says with a giggling flourish. "That means I get to have fun making her squeal!"

When he starts clapping with excitement, my heart drops to my stomach. What's happened to my best friend? Has he been driven mad by the loss of Kaige and I? Or is it from all the magic he's certainly used? Is this one of the consequences he's had to pay?

He give a funny hand motion and the men follow him out of the room, up the stairs, and into what I think is one of the old guest rooms. I'm not really sure because instead of lavish furniture and warmth, this room is full of torture devises. From large chains dangling from the ceiling to pointy contraptions. He walks over to a table with leather straps and turns to us.

"Put the wee lass down and fetch me my supplies! I'm so happy - I haven't had a new guest in days." he whispers as if it's some kind of silly secret.

I gulp as they let me go and start to grab at my cloak. I grip the cloth tightly to me and struggle trying to keep it in place.

"Ooh! A fighter, this one will be much more fun than the last one." Rumple says excitedly.

Finally, they rip the cloak from my grasp and it goes flying through the air - ripped in half. A tear escapes me as I watch the last thing left unharmed from my old life lay on the ground - destroyed. The pain inside me is so bad...almost as bad as the pain from when I woke up to find my parents were dead. Or maybe the pain from the transformation?

A gasp makes me jump up and spin around, growling at the one bold enough to hurt me. I freeze when I see the light across Rumple's face. He looks so different...like some kind of reptile. So this is his curse? He becomes a monster, so he must look like one? No wonder the whole place looks like death lives here...it's because it does. The Source of all power is full of dark magic - so it must turn the one wielding such power into the same thing.

I straighten up and clench my teeth. This man is no longer my friend, but a monster who can't care about anyone anymore. A monster who looks sad and confused...

"Well, aren't you going to hurt me? Torture me?" I say through my teeth.

"Skylar? I can't be...you would never return to the place that -" he starts, taking a step back.

"Well, I'm back. Don't worry, I won't take this place from you - I don't want it." I say, squaring my shoulders off - something I've seen Robin and the others do countless times when they want to make it clear that they won't be swayed.

Rumple takes a deep breath. "Then why have you come then, dearie?"

I can tell he's turning back into the mad-man from when I'd been brought in. "I've come to make a deal. That's what you do now, isn't it?" I ask.

"Why, of course it's what I do. Haven't you seen all the other deals I've made? A clear example of it all is in my visitor's room." he says, smiling and giving a grand bow.

"I saw." I say slowly.

"Good...my name's Rumpelstiltskin! Deals are my game and payback is my blame. Who's wronged you, dearie? A boy who's seen your tail that you want to get back at? Me?" he says, getting up in my face.

I see excitement in his reptilian eyes - yes, even those have changed. "No."

"Then what is it? I can't make you rich or anything...seriously, you can't be a princess with those things you have." he says, sounding annoyed.

"It's not for me!" I say, shoving him back a bit.

"Then what do you need me to do? I haven't got all day for you to decide what this other person needs." he says, throwing his arms in the air.

"Just listen for a moment." I say, and he jumps up lithely into a seat - a thing I haven't seen him able to do since we were eight - and give me a look that says 'I'm listening'. I take a deep breath. "A friend of mine's heart has been stolen. I want you to get it back."

"Oh, you're talking about the lovely Evil Queen's magic...can't do that." he says, hoping up and heading for the door.

"I'll do anything you want!" I shout, following him and grabbing his arm.

He looks down at my hand and then up to my face. He eyes search mine and I fight the urge to look away - looking away shows a coward, and I'm anything but. He nods and I let go.

"I'm sorry, dearie, but I can't get his heart back..." he says slowly and I look at the ground in disappointment. "But I can tell you how you can get it."

My eyes jump back up to his and I nod to show I'm listening.

"Of course, you'll have to do something for me in return." I nod quickly to show I understand how this works - Thumper had told me all about how everything Rumple does is so he can get something he wants out of it. "Well, the queen has this mirror...I want it."

I think this over for a moment. What kind of mirror is it? Would it be worth giving it over to Rumple - wait, what am I saying? Of course it's worth it! I'm helping someone I care about! Archer needs this - and so do I. I need to know the truth.

Besides, I'll worry about the consequences later.

"Okay, what do I have to do?" I ask.

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Wow, Rumple has changed! How do you feel about him now? Do you even like him anymore? Should Skye just leave...or should she continue with her plan to listen to him? What do you think about those insults she used against him before the guards brought her inside?

Honestly, I thought those were hilarious.

Anyway, vote and comment

Always yours,

Kera