This is a modern spin on the original fairytale Rumpelstiltskin. As a child for some reason I feared Rumpel's character so I chose to retell it in a way that is...less scary with no tiny beast looking man involved.
Adele is a girl from a small town...
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Rumpel felt a sense of protectiveness creep over him at the vulnerability he sensed in Adèle. He could pass it off as his cop instincts, but deep down he knew it was a little more than that. They are right that the eyes are the windows to the soul, for that beautiful, insecure, enchanting woman had taken one look and summed him up in one word, lonely.
They say misery loves company, but what do you do when the company wants you too?
Soft wisps of that jet black hair had swept past an ear and caressed the skin of her neck, jaw, cheeks and around her rather beautiful, deep eyes. He had longed to reach out and curl the teasing hair around his finger.
Rumpel sat there trying to listen to the sound of her voice, serenading the crowd. He listened as if it were the one thing to cure him of all form of sin, but he could not focus, he simply dare not raise his eyes, they had to remain downcast on his table as though it was the most interesting piece of furniture in the world. If he were to look up his eyes would lock in sinful magnetism with hers.....those eyes! Speaking to him, telling him things, suggesting things...begging him things. She had simple eyes, nothing extraordinary, just the fact that they were so expressive...so captivating pulled him in and held him captive.
She was a seductress without even knowing it and he knew he was screwed.
♪♩ When the evening shadows and the stars appear And there is no one there to dry your tears Oh, I hold you for a million years To make you feel my love
I know you haven't made your mind up yet But I will never do you wrong I've known it from the moment that we met No doubt in my mind where you belong
I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue And I'd go crawling down the avenue No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do To make you feel my love♩♪
"Hungry? Black and blue?" He whispered to himself as he processed her words. He lifted his eyes to the stage and sure enough she was looking right at him. "Was she being abused?"
As though responding to him she nodded subtlety before lifting her head as she sang on.
He looked over at Kyng and found him looking at Adèle. Kyng rubbed his hands together in that classic way villains do when their mastermind plans are going as planned. He hid his true self like a snake covered with leaves. There was no indication of evil intent, no hint of self deviant motives. Rumpel knew Kyng didn't care who got hurt because his passion was money and power. He hid behind a businessman mask of perfect hostess. It was his eyes that gave him away, always the eyes. Rumpel had no doubt that as Kyng stood there looking at Adèle all he saw were dollar signs. The man was simply driven by greed.
Rumpel turned his eyes back to her as she came to the end of the song.
♪♩ To make you feel my love, oh yes To make you feel my love♩♪
Her eyes came back to his searching, asking, willyouhelpme? He nodded yes. So lost in their silent communication they had tuned out the crowd around them, until Kyng took the stage to no doubt soak up his fifteen minutes of fame.
The older man turned to him, something flashed beneath the surface of his hardened expression and Rumpel hurried to investigate the sudden shift. It was too late, the emotion disappeared before he could identify it, like reaching desperately for an escaped balloon. His face was back to its usual mask, the one painted with his hostess smile.
"Thank you everyone. I'm happy to share these beautiful performance with you. Its not everyday something so remarkable falls into a mans hands."
Rumpel listened and watched as Kyng put his armed around Adèle and tugged her to his side. He swallowed his annoyance and watched closely.
"And for that reason we've decided to tie the knot! The big Ido!"
Shock sailed through him as he looked at Kyng. There is a hint of the victor in his smile surrounded by stiff cheeks, not the friendly hostess grin he usually wore, but the joy of the enemy after the battle is won.
But Adèle's face, she bit on her lower lip and her eyes turn glossy with tears. She tries to blink them away and when she realizes that she can't, she slumped her shoulders in defeat and stares at the ground. She hides her tears, and all the pain she's going through. And when she looks at him again she turns into a different person. She manages to fake a smile that buries her pain deep inside her heart. But her eyes turned cold, like nothing in this world could melt them.
He wanted to yell at her, tell her to hold on just a while longer. He had seen that look on many victims face, but for now all he could do was wait. He glared at Kyng one last time before turning and storming out of the crowded restaurant. He knew he looked every bit like a jealous lover running away in defeat but he couldn't care less. His reaction was perfect for the plan he had in mind. Kyng's announcement now had Rumple pushing his plans closer. Ideas were turning in his head like a hamster on a spinning wheel.
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