Innocence (OUAT/Peter Pan)

Chapter 41: All Our Yesterdays

MARY MARGARET'S POV

Snow didn't know what to do about the strange girl, but she did feel sorry for her. Yet, she was also confusing. The girl seemed so out of place, stuck in the middle of the fight over Henry. Snow didn't blame her for not actively picking a side, it wasn't her fight and the way Pan had treated her and the way she had reacted to him...she needed to take care of herself before trying to help anyone else. Yet, Neal had told them how he, Hook, and Emma had even met the girl, and it seemed to Snow that she had picked a side, sort of.

            Behind them, Emma muttered something to Hook, who must have pushed the girl forward because she was suddenly shoulder-to-shoulder with Snow.

            She fit here. The girl walked smoothly and quietly, like she'd been walking and running through these trees for forever, even her clothing seemed to be the female version of the Lost Boys' clothes. Although, it also gave traces that she had once been a girl, a wealthy girl, somewhere. The rags were unmistakably a dress, bleached now but Snow could tell that they had been black once. She was barefoot, something no other person—Lost Boy or adult—did on the island. And the cloak obviously wasn't hers, it was far too big. David had said he saw Felix give it to her.

            "Hey," Snow said quietly, trying to keep the curiosity out of her voice. Maybe if anyone showed the girl some genuine kindness and interest, she would give them more pieces to her story.

            The girl just looked at her. "Elle," she said simply. David, only steps ahead, tilted his head back with his eyebrows furrowed. Snow was sure that she matched his expression. Something flickered in the girl's face, almost as if she was going to smile. She didn't. "My name is Elle."

            Snow did smile, and her eyes slid to meet David's beautiful ones, which smiled too. Four words, but they were precious words. She was opening up already. "It's beautiful," her David commented. The girl looked back down quickly, but Snow didn't give up.

            "Elle," she started, trying it out. It really was lovely. "That sounds like a princess' name." The girl's shoulder stiffened and her jaw clenched visibly. Snow swallowed, but pushed on. "Will you tell us more?"

            The girl opened her mouth, but her eyebrows were furrowed. "I was cursed, by him," she jerked her chin up ahead, at Rumplestiltskin. Snow heard David sigh heavily, but both stayed quiet. Elle sounded like she had more to say. "My father was foolish and greedy, and I pay the price. I was kidnapped and locked in a tower when I was a small child, and I remained there for so many years. I was never let out, and no one spoke to me except the mistress, to make me use my magic. Not even the servants who brought me food and bath water spoke to me, or tried to help me."

            "How did you end up here, then?" Snow asked, voice thin. She couldn't imagine being trapped like that. So she had been a princess, who'd grown up alone and isolated...Snow felt a pang as she thought of Emma. She hadn't subjected her own daughter to a fate much kinder.

            "I don't know," Elle said slowly, still not looking at them. She didn't seem to be willing to speak, yet she was. Snow wasn't sure what compelled her to tell her story, but she wasn't going to ruin it. "I just wanted an escape so badly. He said," she stopped and choked, but kept her pace. After a moment, she continued. "He sometimes used to say that I summoned the Shadow, by magic. I didn't know I was so powerful at the time."

            "And he brought you here? This was your escape," Snow whispered, vaguely aware that Emma and Hook were far behind them. The others were ahead, and didn't appear to be listening much. David was between Snow and the others.