The Huntress

Chapter 25

"Do you know where Rumpelstiltskin is? Does he live in his old home still?" I ask the animals.

They shake their head sadly. "No, he's moved. The good news is that we know exactly where he is. But you may not like the location very much." Thumper says, sounding very nervous.

"Any why's that?" I ask cautiously, looking over at a very confused Archer. I guess he didn't believe me when I'd told him that I could speak with animals.

"Th-that's b-because he l-lives in your o-old h-home..." Bambi stutters uncomfortably.

I jump back in shock for a moment. He lives in my old home? That doesn't sound like the man who preferred the simple life that I knew. Why would he take my old home?

"Well, he redecorated a bit and everyone was really scared of him...he just sort of turned up there one day." Thumper says, kicking Bambi in one of his back legs.

"W-well, h-he d-d-didn't have to d-do it!" Bambi stutters angrily at his friend.

I smile and look over at Archer. "We have a problem."

"What?!" he screams angrily, causing my tiny friends to back up in fear.

"Shh! They know where he is, but..." I say, unable to finish my sentence.

"But it's somewhere you don't want to go." he says, understanding clear in his voice.

I nod and he hurries over to me, pulling me into his arms. I rest my face in the hollow space between his neck and shoulder. I don't feel the need to cry over this anymore, I just want to be close to him. I also want Rumple to get what he deserves after making me suffer and letting Kaige go. I realize that we're about to set out on a journey that will change everything I've ever believed about our world. And we'll have to find a way to save this messed-up place.

"But it's time." I say, leaning back to look in his eyes.

He nods and we tell the 'rodents' bye - he literally said "Bye rodents" as we mounted our horses. I simply shake my head and wave at them.

We take off through the trees, bobbing and weaving between the trunks and ducking out of the way of low-hanging branches. We zoom through the village - I take notice how no one's running about the square. Where is everyone? I stop and double back for a moment. There's literally no one out. I mean, I can hear them breathing in their homes - panting, scared breaths that are too short and much too fast. I see a few people peep through their curtains before hurriedly rushing off to some other part of their home.

Archer rides up to me and comes to a stop. "You okay?"

I nod. "We should hurry."

I take off down the lane and I stop at Rumple's old home. The place is a shambles! Someone's come through and ripped the place to shreds. Who did this? Rumple? Maybe he couldn't stand to look at the place anymore so he demolished it and went to live in my home - thinking I'd never return. Well, looks like we both won't be getting that wish.

Just as Archer catches up to me, Beauty takes off at a full gallop toward home. We swerve through a small thicket of trees, gallop across the open fields, fly past the barn and come to a stop about fifty feet from the estate. The whole place is different! Someone dug and large trench around the perimeter of the grounds. It's about twenty feet wide, filled with freezing water, and wraps around the entire mansion. There's a large stone fence on the other side of the moat that rises a good fifteen feet in the air.

The main thing that scares me about this place is the aura of evil radiating from the walls.

"Are you sure about this?" Archer asks, his horse trying to back away.

"I think you should wait in town while I go inside." I say, hoping down from Beauty and handing him the reigns.

"I don't think that's a very good idea..." he says slowly, taking the reigns.

"Well, it's the only one I've got. Besides, that way you'll be safe and I have a reason to get out of there as fast as possible." I say, taking a deep breath before heading over to the drawbridge.

"You might want to go before I start..." I say and watch him as he crosses his arms over his chest.

I use a hand to shoo him away. After about five minutes of crazy arm flailing - on both sides - he sighs. With one last semi-...well, completely funny exasperated arm flail, he turns the horses the other way and rides off. Beauty takes one last sad look at me before following along behind him. I wait until I'm sure they're far enough away that they won't be caught for what I'm about to do.

Smiling to myself, I dig deep down to find the loudest part of my voice. "Okay, you rotting scum of flesh! Why don't you get your Coward self outside of the safety of your cozy walls and fight someone the normal way! Or are you too scared for that?! Maybe if you had enough BALLS you wouldn't have lost your son! Of course, you'll always just be the chicken who hides in his tower waiting for your princess to come save you...Wait! You don't have one!"

Just then, the drawbridge slams down on the ground and I jump from the sound. I stand up straight as I watch a pair of burly guards make their way towards me...maybe this wasn't my best plan. Oh, well. At least I'm getting in.

I think.

I watch as the two very large men come closer and closer to me. I fight every instinct in me that screams 'run as fast as you can, you ninny' - thanks to Robin they're even there. Wow, these guys are big!

I take a step back once they're right in front of me.

"And who are you?" the one on the left demands.

I glance between them and put of my 'Merry Man' face. "Someone who's just insulted your snot face of a landowner."

The man on the right blanches and starts stuttering. Man on the left - I'm gonna start calling them Leftie and Rightie...or maybe Dumb and Dumber, guess I'll wait to see which one better suits these two - grabs me roughly by the arm and the other one grips my other arm roughly. They start to drag me inside and I pretend to fight them - seriously, why would anyone let themselves get dragged inside a place like this? I have to fight - at least a little...

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Yea...so i had to wait for several hours - most of them with the little monsters screaming in my head. Anyway, they finally went to bed and I got the opportunity to write this chapter. I know it seems a bit childish - but I think it's rather funny...maybe that's just thanks to the Little Demon' torturing. Dunno...

So, vote and comment on what you think. ;)

Always yours,

Kera