Red Roses (A Harry Hook x Reader/OC)

Prologue: All in a Golden Afternoon

Snip snip.

Snip snip.

The little girl sat and watched as her mother she snipped off the red, red roses. There was nothing wrong with them other than little imperfections; her mother mumbled them under her breath as she snip-snipped away. 

"Too little. Too wide. Bruised. Not red enough."

The little girl never got to touch the enchanting red roses, never got to smell their aroma. Her mother's rosebush was the only splash of beauty in their ramshackle home on the Isle of the Lost.

So she sat, and watched, and held on tightly to her stuffed rabbit. The madness surrounding their family name scared off any possibility of real friends, even though the other kids on the Isle were quite scary themselves. Once, she went outside her home to see the daughter of Ursula; the dark skinned girl was crying and she wanted to help.

She sat next to her and asked "Are you okay?"

The sad girl only sniffled and shook her head. She would have hugged her. Would have given her words of solace had her mother not shrieked and run outside, waving the rose clippers.

"Off! Off! Off with your head and away from my daughter!"

Her mother had drug her back inside rather forcefully and she watched, sad, as the crying girl went on her way.

She was brought back to reality by a hook that had flew over the decaying fence surrounding their house. Curious, she stood and brushed off her clothes and skipped to where the metal object had landed, her rabbit still clutched in her hand. She picked up the rather large hook, confused as to why it was here, in the mad yard of all places. Suddenly, a head peeped into a vast gap in the fence. A boy's head. He was little, like her, with a pirate's hat lopsided on a head of dark hair and the most blue eyes she had ever seen. He gave her a smirk.

"I do believe that's my hook, lass," he said, his accent piquing her interest. She had never heard anyone else besides her mother and her frantic mutterings.

She walked over to the fence, hook in hand, and handed it to the boy. "Thank ye, very kindly. The name's Harry. Harry Hook," he said proudly, puffing out his tiny chest and putting his hand out for a shake. The girl giggled at his proud self and went to shake his hand, but was abruptly stopped by a pair of rose clippers flying past and landing in the fence next to the boy's head. 

"RUBY!!" The mad woman yelled. She ran to her daughter and ripped her away from the boy in the fence. "You scoundrel! Off with you before I off with your head!"

She grabbed her daughter's arm, but the girl cried out in pain. Her mother let go only to have her hand covered in blood. Her daughter's blood. The clippers had sliced her arm when they flew past her, and now dark blood was dripping onto the dead grass. The girl turned back to see the boy, Harry, still watching from the fence, looking like he so badly wanted to help.

 Tears ran down her face, but her mother seemed to not notice as she gripped her arm once more and ran into the rickety house, yelling nonsense at the top of her lungs. 

The boy noticed the girl's stuffed rabbit lying on the ground. He picked it up, brushed off the dead leaves and grass, and vowed to himself he would return it to her the moment he could.

She didn't know what events happened the rest of that night, all she knew was the next morning her few belongings were packed and a black car was there to take her. Men in sharp suits held back her screaming mother while another guided her into the vehicle. 

They drove her away, and she watched out the window, mesmerized, as the barrier over the island opened and the car drove through, over the water and beyond, her injured arm nearly forgotten. She didn't see little Harry Hook arrive right as the car took her away.

When the car stopped, she was at a castle, and her young mind whirled. A castle! Where am I? 

The driver came around to open her door, and she was met by a very kingly man, and a kind looking woman at his side. her gaze almost missed the shorter man seeming very giddy.

The woman smiled at her.

"Welcome to Auradon, Ruby Hearts."