Time passes along.
Snow White and Charming were reunited, true love and all that.
There was something about a sleeping cures and a glass coffin, I didn't hear all the facts, but anyway it seemed those two finally got their happy ending.
Horay.
Snow White and Prince Charming had also begun the final battle to take back the castle from the evil queen.
I didn't have much a time to follow every detail of snow and charmings life together.
I had more important things to do.
My travels to the land without magic have become more and more frequent.
During the last two years I have search the land without magic.
I had been to many places.
France
Italy
Spain
Norway
Australia
India
China
South Africa
United States
England.
And yet I still have not even scratched the surface.
There were still 185 other countries and its taken two years to scour the 10 I've visited so far.
I'm beginning to wonder if baelfire was even here.
I thought I had a lead back in England London to be exact, while searching in the public records I stumbled upon an old newspaper article dated from 1906.
It was an missing persons article.
George and Mary darling were looking for anyone with information regarding the disappearance of their 3 children and a child they took in.
Wendy, John, Michael and Baelfire.
Finally I thought that maybe I'd found something.
Though this article was written in 1904, it was now 1982.
I didn't want to think about it but I know I had to.
Was Baelfire even alive still.
My best bet would of been to talk to either George and Mary Darling, though to much dismay the pair had passed away 15 years ago.
I was able to track down the woman who cared for Mary Darling in her last days.
She confirmed my suspicions.
George and Mary never did see their children again.
I didn't even want to think how I was going to break the news to Rumpelstiltskin.
So I didn't.
I continued on with my search, maybe Baelfire had a child, If I couldn't bring rumplestiltskin his son then I would bring him his grandchild.
It was a long shot.
But better to give him hope that his son may still be alive than shatter his already broken heart with the awful truth.
If I was being honest the land without magic was staring to grown on me.
Sure it may not be a mystical and magical as the other places I've visited.
But it's so forward thinking.
And so ahead of us.
People spoke into these rectangular boxes and they could communicate with anyone anywhere.
They also had moving pictures.
Carriages that didn't require horses
Houses that were made out of brick with glass windows.
Food that everyone had access to you if you paid for it.
This food was so different.
My personal favourite was a strange but tasty delicacy, of a sort of dough that is rolled into a circle, the slather it in a red sauce and add grated cheese (yes they even grate their cheese) you then have a selection of different toppings you could add on.
I'm told it's called pizza.
Needless to say where the land without magic lacking in well magic, it's make up for it in it's bazaar yet fascinating foods and traditions.
Anyway enough thinking about the land without magic, I need to focus on the task at hand.
Probably one of the most dangerous tasks I've been asked to complete.
I've been swimming for a while now, it's so confusing.
Everything is backwards, left is right, right is left, forward is backwards, backwards is forwards.
Even the water here is different, sweeter and my I say slightly more psychedelic.
Why did rumplestiltskin send me here.
I didn't even know wonderland had an ocean.
Still I've been given a job to do and I shall complete my task.
I reach land by nightfall and soon begin the challenging task of navigating the deadly and complex hedge maze.
I remember what rumplestiltskin told me.
"Stay away from the side's dearie unless you want it met an early grave."
I hold my package securely.
After turning corner After corner and still not finding the castle I begin to loose hope.
Turns out I needn't of bothered.
Solders marched towards me.
They were following shorter man, dressed in a red rob and white fur collar.
The knave of hearts.
"Take her to the queen."
Well that's one way to get to the castle.
I'm dragged through the palace grounds towards the queens audience chamber.
The guards bring Me before the Queen of Hearts and several other citizens of Wonderland.
Her face is covered by a veil and she used a tube to speak through.
She whispered something to the knave of hearts.
"Her majesty wishes to know how you arrived here."
I remember manners.
"I'm a mermaid your majesty, I have the ability to travel worlds."
The queens head perks up.
She whispers to the knave.
"Her majesty wishes to know if anyone travel this way."
I shake my head.
"I'm afraid I wouldn't know your majesty, no one has the ability to hold their breath for that long."
"The queen wishes to know if that stands for true love as well."
I Perk my head up.
How did she know about that?
Very few people know the legend, a true loves kiss from a mermaid means you'll never drown.
"I suppose it's Possible your majesty, but I'm afraid I don't know any mermaids who's true loves are human to test the Theory out."
I bit my lip, I hope I didn't just anger her majesty.
Finally the queen speaks again.
"Her majesty wishes to inquire the reason for your visit."
"Oh I have a package for your majesty." I hold out the brown package that despite it being submerged underwater has sustained no damage thank to the preservation spell.
"It's from rumplestiltskin."
Gasps are heard throughout the courtyard.
The queen sits up straighter and holds out her hand.
With a nod from the knave I cautiously approach the queen of hearts and gently place the package on her hand before I retreat.
The queen unwraps the package to revel a book.
Not just any book.
A spell book.
Silence fills the open space.
Until
"Her majesty thanks you for your visit and asks that you see yourself out."
That's my cue.
I curtsy before scuttling away.
I find the entrance no issue but before I can even take a step out the door there is a sound coming from down the hall.
My body betrays my mind and follows the sound of the voice.
I should leave, I've outstayed my welcome already, but the body refuses to listen, instead it insist to follow the voice.
I come to a stop outside two doors large doors, there's a muffled Voice coming from inside.
I should leave, I know that.
But I can't.
Eve try so slowly I push the door open, and to my astonishment I am greeted by hats.
Hundreds or hundreds of hats, spread everywhere, piled on top of each other towering me.
The whole room is filled to the brim with hats.
Some big, some small, some with feathers some plane.
So many hats.
A rough hand grabs me by the throat and pins me to the wall knocking over a mountain of hats, they collapse around me and the stranger.
The grip on my neck is tight, I struggle to breath.
Blue eyes brimming with the aspects of insanity stare back at me, accusing and mad.
"Who are you?" The mad man asks.
"Please.... I... can't." I wheeze out.
Black spots are filling my vision, by body is struggle for air.
The mad man must realise He's quite literally squeezing the life from me because his grip quickly looseness, he doesn't remove his hand from around my neck but at least I'm not going to die from asphyxiation.
"I'm Arista."
The mad man growls, he is dare I say almost animalistic.
"You can tell the queen, I'm doing the best I can, but like I said, without magic the hat is just a hat."
He thinks I works for the queen?
I'm quickly to correct him.
"I don't work for the queen."
Despite my honesty, evidently The mad man refuses to believe me.
His grip tightens once more.
"Don't lie."
With all my strength I attempt to remove his rough and callous hands from around me neck with little prevail.
"I'm not lying."
"Then how did you get here?" He demands.
"I can travel through worlds."
He obviously wasn't expecting that response and for a second the grip around me neck loosened.
It was enough.
Quick as lighting, I reached up with with my right hand and grasped his wrist in a tight grip, then twisted.
The man had no choice but the twist as well, unless Wanting his arm to be twisted out of its socket.
I wrap my leg around his and push him to the floor and plonk myself on top of him.
I grasp both of his wrists in each hand and hold them down to the ground effectively pining him under my body.
He struggles at first though soon comes to the conclusion that it would be fruitless.
So In a smart move he ceases struggling no doubt want to save his energy.
In state of calm now the man asked me.
"How do you travel , I don't see a hat, do you use magic beans?" Dare I say, I heard a flicker of hope in his voice.
I shake my head.
"No I travel through the sea, mermaids can travel worlds."
The man is taken aback.
"Your a mermaid?"
I nod my head.
I think he's calm now, so I offer an olive branch.
I let go of his wrists and remove myself from his person.
The man get to his feet.
We both just stare at each-other.
Both anticipating if the other was going to make a move.
"Jefferson." The ma- Jefferson holds out his hand.
"Arista."
Jefferson offer seem a half smile.
"Yes you've already told Me."
I get slightly defensive.
"Well considering you were per occupied with your hand around my throat, I wasn't sure you heard me."
Jefferson takes a seat.
"So Arista, what's a mermaid doing here? Don't your kind, ya know live in water."
"I was asked to deliver a parcel to the queen of hearts."
"Who."
"Does it matter"
Jefferson shrugs his shoulders.
"Just trying to make conversation."
There's a slight buzzing from my bracelet.
I'm being summoned.
I dust myself off.
"Really must be getting back now, Jefferson."
He gestures towards the door.
"Of course."
Before I'm fully out the room, Jefferson calls out to me.
"I hope to see you again, I can't remember the last time I've had such pleasant company."
I turn to the grinning Jefferson.
"And I you."