Barbaric Inclemency

Changes

~~Enchanted Forest~~

Needless to say, Snow and I's routine changed greatly when Red and Peter joined our duo. It quickly became known that the two were associated with us, or more importantly Snow, and so the two joined our faces on the wanted posters for assisting and being associated with Snow White. Many times Snow had tried to convince us to leave her behind, but we were determined to stay with her. When our loyalty wasn't enough to convince her, I quietly pulled her aside to explain that even if we wanted to leave her we couldn't, for our reputations were already tied to her, and therefore we would always have to remain on the run.

She had cried, apologizing profusely for the trouble she felt she had caused, but I assured her that it wasn't anyone's fault but the queens.

From that moment on, it was our goal to give the queen as much hell as we could. We frequently raided her carriages, freed her innocent prisoners, and did our best to survive and take care of each other. One night a goal was made as we settled down for supper: find a way to leave the Enchanted Forest.

It had become clear throughout the years that the Evil Queen was never going to leave us alone, and ever since the villagers we came to know started to defend us, the Queen had enacted her wrath upon them. We knew she'd slaughter anyone who stood in her way, and so it was with a  heavy heart that we all decided we needed to leave. Snow and I, who both used to be royalty, couldn't ignore her treatment of the people any longer. It was clear we could no longer fight.

Little did we know that this decision would shape the future for everyone.

~~Storybrooke~~

Mary Margaret and I sat in her classroom, eating lunch and discussing a certain brown haired boy.

"I've really seen an impressive change in him recently- whatever you've been doing, definitely keep it up." Mary Margaret said, taking a bite of salad. I smiled, "I haven't really been doing much, just talking to him about that book you gave him." 

She rose a brow, "He's still on that book?"

I nodded, eating a few chips before responding. "Yep. Kid seems obsessed with it to be honest. He's read the thing front to back about three times now." "No kidding?" I shook my head, "No kidding, he really seems to like it. Although..." I frowned, "He has a rather overactive imagination... he almost behaves like he thinks those stories are real."

She frowned, "I wonder if that's why Miss Mills has started taking him to therapy?"

"I wouldn't be surprised." I sighed, continuing to eat my lunch. She hummed, "You'll have to ask him when he comes back if he read his book while he was sick." I chuckled, "I'm sure he's reading it right now. Other than during class, I've never seen him put that thing down!" We chuckled together and shortly finished our lunch as the bell rang, the chattering of kids filling the halls as we prepped for the next class. 

~

The next day we were teaching about birds, and Mary Margaret was demonstrating their loyalty to those they've bonded with. 

"As we build our birdhouses, remember: what you're making is a home. Not a cage. A bird is free, and will do what it will. This is for them, not us. They're loyal creatures..." She said, carrying the bird to the open window and showing how the bird flew to the birdhouse she had made it. "If you love them and they love you, they will always find you." She said quietly, watching the bird for a moment before the bell rang. 

I clapped, "We'll pick this up after recess. No running!" A student ran up to me and handed me two pears, saying they were for me and Mary Maragret. "Why thank you!" I said sweetly, smiling as the girl bounded after her friends.