Scara Rose, The Warrior

Chapter 2

Henry's pov

I'm running as fast as I can down Main Street with Cruella de Vil and my uncle, Prince James, hot on my tail.

I found my author's pen in the sorcerer's mansion and now they want me to write them back to life. I knew I shouldn't have sneaked off after my mom's heart split worked, but I couldn't help it. I want to be a hero and with the pen, I can be.

This is why I can't let them catch me. Heroes don't let villains win.

I turn a corner to continue running. Just as I pass an alley, a hand clasps over my mouth and I'm quickly dragged into the alley. I kick and squirm, but my captor is too strong. I'm only able to see the alley for about a split second but from what I see, I can tell it's a small homeless community.

I guess with the Underworld having the huge population as it does and it being modeled exactly like tiny Storybrooke, homes are scarce.

I am rushed into one of the makeshift homes as I'm still fighting and attempting to yell. My captor suddenly turns me around and shoves me against the only actual wall of the shack which happens to be part of an actual building.

This is the first time that I can actually take a good look at the strong person who grabbed me and...she's a girl?

"Stop fighting and shut up!" She whisper yells at me.

She lets me go and quickly goes to the curtain door across from the brick wall to peak out. While she's doing this I take the opportunity to look around. It's a small shack made out of loose plywood sheets and cardboard and pressed against the brick wall of a building.

The interior reminds me of a picture I saw in my storybook of a shelter my grandma stayed in while on the run from Regina. All that's in the home is some brush in the corner for a bed, a shard of a broken mirror taped to the brick wall, and a bowl of water with a worn rag on the ground in front of the mirror.

I then gaze to the girl who saved me. She very fit and looks to be my age even though she's shorter than me. That doesn't really surprise me though. I'm actually pretty tall.

She's wearing ragged/stained jeans and a zipped up jeans jacket. She doesn't even have shoes, she's completely barefoot. She has long dark brown hair, that's held back in a braid.

"I think they're gone, but I'd hang back if I were you," she warns, turning away from the door.

As she turns to me, I can make out more of her face than I could a minute a go. She looks at me with a softer look than before. She has slight dark circles under her emerald green eyes.

Even with her ragged clothing and slight flaws, no doubt caused by being in the Underworld, she's still very beautiful.

She begins to walk towards me. I don't fully trust her yet, so I back up. She smiles back apologetically.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you, but you weren't exactly making my job easy."

"What job?"

"Saving you" she said, as if it were obvious "you can't just outrun the 'law' in this town."

I begin to ease up considering I'm not being held hostage.

"Well thanks, I'm Henry" I say, sticking out my hand "What yours?"

I can tell by her face that she's conflicted. She goes over and sits on her "bed." I choose to sit on the dirt floor.

"It's best if you don't know my name," she says, confusing me "I'm not exactly 'popular' here."

I don't want to overstep any boundaries, so I struggle to contain my curiosity.

"Well, is there at least a nickname I can call you by?" I ask cautiously.

She smiles slightly.

"Flower," she says softly "just call me Flower.