The singing becomes louder and more unbearable by the second, the forlorn hymns of yet another lost and lovesick prince.
How are they all this incompetent?
“Let’s handle him first.” I head toward the singing, and Lafayette follows me.
The man’s shadow appears first, casting itself high and wide against a stone wall, and the instant clarity in his lyrics stops me dead in my tracks.
Tonight, tonight, my plans I make.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, the baby I take.
The queen will never win the game, for Rumpelstiltskin is my name…
The man is far from a lost and lovesick royal. He’s the second bane of my existence, wickedness in its purest form.
Still haggard from a lifetime of deceit, he’s dressed in tattered fabric, and his yellowed teeth have been sharpened into fangs.
“Well, well, well!” His soulless eyes meet mine. “We meet again, Prince of the Damned.”
“His name is Prince Gabriel or Sir G’aston to you, filthy swine,” Lafayette hisses. “You will bow down and address him properly.”
“Or else, what?” He scoffs. “He’ll send me to his nonexistent dungeon? Banish me from a kingdom that is no more?”
“Bow, now…” Lafayette warns.
“I think I’ll save my brittle old back for real royalty.” He spits on the ground. “Last time I checked, he hasn’t been a prince for decades, but he has aged quite nicely … Have I missed the celebration of a certain spell being broken? I would’ve shown up to the party.”
I grit my teeth.
“Aww, that’s too bad, so sad,” he says. “But do you know what? I am willing to call you whatever you want, since we can’t seem to stay away from each other. Perhaps we can strike a bargain?”
“You’d need to have something I want for me to be interested.” I look over at the ragged knapsack behind him.
I’ve ripped it open several times over the decades, only to find golden thread and hay.
“Let’s save ourselves the usual waste of time, shall we?” I say. “Put out your fire and move your camp elsewhere. The last thing my men want to hear is your horrendous singing.”
“You should consider my bargain first.”
“I won’t ask you to move out of my way again,” I say. “Kill the fire and walk away, Rumpelstiltskin.”
“You’re searching for a beautiful woman named Isabelle Arwyn.” He tosses ashes onto the fire, instantly smothering its flames. “You also want her father, correct?”
I say nothing, and his ugly laughter fills the night air.
“I know exactly where they are right now, Prince Gabriel.”
“So do I.” Lafayette crosses his arms. “Keep packing your shit.”
“They’ve moved on since then,” Rumpelstiltskin says. “They’re a lot more conniving than they let on, kind of like me. I’m actually quite impressed with their plans.”
Lafayette and I exchange glances.
“What the hell do you want this time?” I let out a weary sigh.
“Protection.” He holds out his hands. “Double what you gave me last time.”
“Tell me where the girl and her father are first.”
“No, I want the protection before you fuck me over.” He smiles. “To be safe, you know.”
“He’s full of shit…” Lafayette whispers. “Don’t trust him.”
I’ve never trusted him, but I can’t afford the risk of him being right. That, and he’s been right about things the last five times we’ve met.
Sliding a hand into my coat, I pull out two rose blooms and hold them out for him.
“They reached the Eighth Kingdom.” His eyes gleam. “With the beast.”
“That’s impossible.”
“They made it there by mistake.” He snatches the blooms from my fingertips. “The old man will soon be held in a dungeon for trespassing, and the girl is a half day away from finding him there. At the rate you’re traveling, I’m sure you’ll reach them in fifteen sunsets or less, but… You might be too late, given your situation. Your cursed life isn’t that bad, is it? You could definitely live like this forever…”
I grab him by the neck, lifting his entire body from the ground. “If you’re fucking with me about this, these next few breaths will be the last ones you ever take.”
“What exactly do I have to gain from lying?” His smug smile makes me squeeze his neck tighter. “I quite enjoy running into you every so often and seeing you in pain. It’s become my favorite entertainment.”
I drop him as hard as I can.
Coughing, he takes his time gathering his belongings, and Lafayette stares at me in utter agony.
“It’s not too late,” I whisper to him. “Don’t look at me that way.”
“Oh, it’s far from too late.” Rumpelstiltskin slings a bag over his shoulder. “Miss Isabelle Arwyn is the wrong girl.”
I knew he was fucking with me.
“Let me guess.” I regret letting go of his neck. “You’ll tell me who the right girl is after we make another deal?”
“I would, but only if I knew.” He sighs, looking utterly genuine. “But this girl you’re after won’t help you break any parts of the curse. She’s not the one, Gabriel.”