A prisoner long forgotten

Chapter 9: The meaning of war, family and love

The white castle

It had been two days since anyone had seen princess Emma. The kingdom was in shock and frightened over the rumours that were coming from the east of the border. There was a lot of activity in the dark castle and people were fleeting their homes trying to find refugee elsewhere.

In the meantime the white castle and there residents were waiting with a frightened heart for the arrival of Rumpelstiltskin and what his dark plan will be.

Snow and David were sitting in the council chambers discussing the matter with their trusted knights and the high council members.

"This is all your daughters fault! If she had done what she was supposed to do none of this would have happened.!" Lord Hamilton says.

"He is right, she should be punished for her actions." Several members of the council agreed and soon many of them were demanding the know where her she was. Snow held up her hand to the silence them all.

"As you all know we don't know where our daughter is. We don't even know if she is alive or dead. All we know is that we are going to need to defend the kingdom against the dark one in any way we can. The fairies." Snow gestured to blue who was also present. "Have agreed to help us in any way they can."

The door of the council chambers flies open letting a frightened grumpy in. "He's coming! He's coming!" Everyone looks shocked when all of the sudden Grumpy collapses to the floor.

"Actually dearie! I'm already here!" Rumpelstiltskin says smiling, he is sitting on the other side of the room playing with his fingers and looking very uninterested.

"Why are you here?" Lord Hamilton asks backing away standing behind Snow and David trying to protect himself.

"I'm here to warn all of you. I'm going to take over the kingdom and make my son king. And because I like the sound of people pleading and screaming I'm declaring a war and I will raise my black army and I will attack at dawn. All the people who are still here will die." Lord Hamilton and several other council members gasp at the warning making Rumpelstiltskin giggle.

"Oh I do love the sound of desperation! See you all tomorrow.....on the battle field." And gone was the awful man.

"I will not let him take this kingdom without a fight, we are the rightful rulers." Snows says determined but the trilling in her voice doesn't hide the fact that she is scared. "And I will stand beside you like I always have." David says embracing his wife when she starts sobbing.

Several of the lords of the council were leaving the room not willing to fight, deciding the flee.

The knights and their captain were going to stay. They were not afraid, they would die with honour trying to defend their kingdom and their rulers.

"Start forcing weapons! Find every man willing to fight! Tell the kitchen to prepare for war we will need our strength. We don't know what tomorrow will bring but I will not be scared, I will fight, who is with me!" the dozen knights start cheering and banging their swords against their shield while David holds his sword up high.

Trumpet were blown, the blacksmith started their fires and granny ordered the kitchen staff to start preparing pot roast. Ruby who had been ordered to help in the kitchen now after Emma was gone was frightened and she was shaking while she was cutting carrots.

"Ruby! Ruby come help me get the big pot from under the table." Ruby whips her tears away and helps her granny getting the big pot and putting it on the fire. She wanted to continue with her work when granny pulled her arm and led her away from preying ears.

"Stop crying and listen Ruby!" Granny takes Ruby's jaw between her fingers and making her look up into her eyes.

"I will protect you! I'm going to make sure no harm will come to you. Do you see the shutter where we just took the big pot off." Ruby let her eyes travel to the object Granny was talking about. "When I tell you to hid and run you will open the shutter and follow the tunnel it's a long tunnel and it will lead you to the border of the forest. You will run in to forest and find shelter make sure you are deep in the woods before finding the shelter. Do you understand? Ruby!" Ruby nodded her head. "I understand granny." Granny pulled Ruby into an embrace. "My sweet good girl."