Rumpelstiltskin

As we anxiously await our turn to get a vaccine, Kyle and I have tried to find a lot of things to pass the time. Last week he challenged me to write a short story and share it by Friday. So here you go! My take on Rumplestiltskin from the perspective of the poor Miller’s daughter who is treated badly by everyone. I know it needs work, but it was still fun to play around with retelling a fairytale! It ends rather abruptly which is true to form for many fairytales. To me, that just kind of leaves things open for more. I think a good fairytale always leaves you wondering what happens next and what happened next!

Disclaimer: While this isn’t a rough draft, it’s still in its early stages, but the important thing for me was to publish something by Friday. If you didn’t know I’ve struggled with ADD my entire life and so sitting to focus and write is no easy task–I do harbour not so secret dreams of one day publishing an actual novel though! I used PushFriday to help me stay focused and honestly it’s the only thing that has ever worked for me!

Okay…without further ado, my story:

The Miller’s Daughter

When my mother died my father fell into a pit of despair. He wasted what little money the mill earned on drink, and I tried my best to supplement our funds with my weaving. I could spin beautiful thread from the wool of our two sheep, and I would sell it at the local market. I had no magical abilities, but that did not stop my father from running his mouth to the king one night and changing my life forever.  Please know. My father was not a cruel man. He was always kind to me, and he loved my mother fiercely. Her death irreparably changed him. Grief changes us all. His greatest fault was that he was careless with money, and perhaps more careless with words when drink had loosened his tongue. So if I noticed a sadness in his eyes when he came home that night I thought only that he was thinking of her. The next day the guards came. My father was not a man prone to weeping. He had a hard life running the mill and providing for our family. I had only seen him cry once before in my life–the day my mother died. But I saw the tears in his eyes as he pleaded with them not to take me. He tried to take back all that he’d said, but it was too late. The guards were merely following orders. The king had summoned me. I had to go. I was taken to the castle and locked in a room full of straw, a single spinning wheel and a chamber pot. The air in the room smelled as though it had not been opened for years. The sweetness of the straw mingled with the stale air. I gagged. The king himself welcomed. His form filled the doorway, but he would not step inside. I’d seen him once before, a few years prior as he road past our mill on the way to his coronation. He was still relatively young–his father having died of the same illness that took my mother. His stern, dark eyes glared down at me. “You are as lovely as your father claimed. Good. I worried he might be a liar.” His lip curled as he spoke with clear disgust. “Drunks often are.” I said nothing. My father loved to tell any who asked that I was the prettiest girl in the land. Of course he thought this because I looked so much like my mother with her deep honey brown skin, and midnight blue-black curls. Her eyes were a soft stormy grey where mine are the color of rain dampened earth. She used to say I was the earth to her sky. I looked at the king. I could see in his eyes that this was no compliment, but courtesy demanded a response. “Thank you, your grace.” I said forcing myself to smile and bow. He nodded. “And now we shall see if he was truthful about the rest. You have until morning to spin this straw into gold. Otherwise your life is forfeit and your father can learn the penalty for lying to the crown.” He turned, the door slamming in his wake, before I could even open my mouth.

***

I slumped to the ground. What sort of life was this? What sort of world where my life was a punishment for my father’s ignorance? I poured my tears out both in sorrow and in rage–for all that my life could be—for the unfairness of this world that I had been thrown into. I screamed myself hoarse at the cruelty of the king and the carelessness of my father. And then I heard a voice. Soft and deep in the darkness. “What will you give me if I weave this straw for you?” I looked up and saw a person sitting in the high window. They were silhouetted against the light coming into the window. My hand reached automatically for my necklace. The illness that took my mother meant that we had to burn all of her possessions. I was able to salvage three things: This necklace, her ring, and her best dress: the one she wore to wed my father. My heart ached at the idea of parting with any of them, but if this person could save my life what choice did I have? “I can offer you my necklace. Will that suffice?” With a leap the person jumped into the room and I could see what I had missed before. He was a man dressed all in black. His skin was tan, a honeyed amber and his hair was dark–perhaps brown or black? It was hard to tell in the darkness, but his eyes were piercing and yellow. He bowed before me, closing his slender fingers around the necklace in my outstretched hand. “Yes,” he said, “This will do nicely.” He placed it carefully in his coat pocket before turning back to me. “And now you will sleep!” he said blowing dust into my face.

***

When I awoke the sun shining and the room seemed to glisten. It took me only a moment to remember where I was. My back ached from sleeping on the hard stone ground, but as my eyes adjusted to my surroundings I was awed by the sight. Spools of golden thread replaced the mounds of straw that had previously cluttered the room! The window had been left open adding a hint of freshness to the air around me. The man was nowhere in sight. I touched my neck instinctively and felt a pang of sadness for the loss of my mother’s necklace, but this was surely enough to please the king and save my life! The door opened and in stepped the king. His dark eyes sparkled as they took in the spools of gold. When they finally settled on me, he smiled. “Excellent job, my dear, he said, “Now come with me.” He took my hand and led me to another room–just as large and also filled with straw. My heart sank. “You’ve done well, but your task is not quite done. Fill this room with gold as well. Someone will bring you food shortly and I shall see you in the morning.” He left as quickly as he had come. This time I did not weep. I simply waited and hoped the man appears again. I do not know how long I waited. The light from the high, solitary window danced around the room. I could not see out to measure the passage of time. Just as I had begun to fear he would not return I heard his voice in my ear. “What will you give me if I weave this straw for you?” I turned. How did he get into the room without me seeing him? The light is better now and I can see that his hair is a reddish brown and his ears have a slight point at the tips. He is still dressed in a slim black suit and his yellow eyes seem a bit deeper than the night before and every bit as piercing. I hold up my mother’s ring. “What is your name, sir?” I ask as he examines it. His mouth quirks. “This will do nicely,” He places the ring carefully in his pocket as I await his answer. He smiles. “And now, sleep!” When I awake. a cold tray of food and a pitcher of water sit beside me. I devour them ravenously before noticing that the room is again filled with golden thread.

***

“Come with me.” The king reached out a hand to help me up. “Anna and Marie will help you bathe and dress. You will join me for breakfast in an hour.” Two women stood behind him. One was fair skinned with hair a deep auburn, the other could have been the king’s sister if he’d had one. She had his same tanned skin and black curls. “Yes, your majesty” she said with a low curtsy. “This way ma’am.” She introduced herself as Anna as she lead me up a narrow staircase and into the largest, most beautiful room I had ever seen. The window stretched  from floor to ceiling and was adorned with golden lace curtains that seemed to glisten in the sun. In front of it was a sofa that looked like a fluffy red cloud draped with a golden blanket and soft velvet pillows. The ornate four poster bed with red satin curtains and lush, creamy ivory bedding draped in golden blankets stood as the focal point. This room was lavish in every single way. “Wait here, ma’am, while we warm up your bath.” Marie gestured to a tub nearly hidden by a deep green curtain in the corner of the room. I nodded and sank onto the bed. It felt divine. Like a sea of softness. My entire body shivered with delight. After 2 awful nights of sleeping on the floor it felt heavenly to feel something so soft. “We’re ready for you ma’am” Anna said smiling at me. They helped me into the warm, sudsy tub and I felt every muscle in my body loosen. They washed and oiled my hair, Styling it in two braids that wrapped around my head like a crown. “I’m sorry we can’t do more now, ma’am” the king is waiting. They help me into a glorious brocade dress of cream and gold that made my skin seem to glow and we head down the stairs. I have never felt so beautiful in my entire life.

***

The king sits languidly at the large oak table.”You have done wonderfully, my dear. As payment and a thank you I will purchase your father’s debts, make you my queen and you and your father will live here in the castle with me and never want for anything again in your life. What do you say?” My mouth drops. How could I marry this man who has threatened my life and humiliated me. Yet he is the king. To refuse him could put my life and my father’s at risk. I see that it is a kindness for him to offer to care for my father as well. His eyebrow quirks as he examines me. My warring thoughts must read on my face. “I know that I have not been kind to you, but kindness is not expected of a king.” I scoff involuntarily as my eyes widen with the realisation of what that implies. “You disagree?” I pause.”You are free to speak your mind,” he says amusement playing in his eyes. “If you are to be my wife then you must speak more readily.” I tilt my head in response, “Y-your majesty, respectfully, I have to disagree. If the king is meant to lead his people in all things would he not also need to lead them in kindness?” He brings his hands together considering what I’ve said. “Perhaps. Choose to be my wife, and I will be good to you. Your father’s debts are enough that should you return to him now you will lose the mill and your livelihood. I require a wife and an heir, nothing more.” His eyes were gentle now. He knows I cannot refuse.
That night he leads me to another room. This one larger than the ones before. There is a bed in one corner and a soft chair near the spinning wheel. He kisses my hand, “Fill this final room for me and I will never ask this of you again. I swear it.” I nod and he leaves the room. As the door closes, I see the red-haired man leaning against the wall, watching me. “What will you give me if I spin this straw for you?” I turn. “Who are you?” He steps backwards, “What will you give me if I spin this straw for you?” he repeats. “Why are you helping me?” He says nothing. Only stares at me with those unsettling eyes. “I have nothing left to give you. You have taken all that I have.” He tilts his head and his gaze darkens. “That is not true. You are to be queen now thanks to my efforts. You will have much to give in time. When I come to collect will you give me what I ask?” I consider this. As queen I will have access to far greater things than the trinkets he has taken from me. Parting with one should not be an issue. I can simply tell the king what I require. He said I would want for nothing. “Yes,” I say to the man, “You may ask me for one final thing and I will give it.” His eyes gleam with triumph as his mouth stretches into a wide grin. “That will do nicely,” he says, “now sleep!” I awake on the floor again, and the king is standing over me. “Come, my dear, we have much to prepare for our wedding day.”

***

I do not see the man again for another year exactly. On the day that my daughter is born. I am alone in my room nursing her. Cooing over her beautiful curls and her soft brown skin. Her finger curls over my own and I smile contentedly. The king has been true to his word. We are not in love, but we have formed a friendship of sorts. He is kind to me.  Every day from the day that he took me from that final room he has apologised for his cruelty. And when my stomach began to grow with our daughter he ensured I had the best midwives in the land. “She will do nicely.” a familiar voice says in my ear. I turn with a shock and there stands the man who spun straw into gold for me. “What do you mean?” I ask him. “Your daughter is the price I require for payment.” I hold her closer to me. My heart races and my skin goes cold. “No. You can have anything else you like. I have gold and jewels” He stops me. “What would I want with gold and jewels?” I have plenty of that to go around. What I require is the things of your heart and this child is the greatest payment of them all.” I still. This will not happen. I will not give him my child. “Ah, it seems motherhood has given you a backbone.: he says with a smirk. “Good. I’ll give you a chance to bargain for her. You have 3 days to guess my name. I’ll give you three guesses. Should you guess correctly, I will leave. If not…” His eyes flick to my daughter. I hold her tightly to me. “3 days.”

***

For the next two days, Anna, Marie and I discuss my plight. They have been my greatest friends and confidants from the moment I married the king. I used my influence to give them each rooms in the castle away from the servants quarters and had them elevated to the position of ladies-in-waiting–I’d offered them cottages off the grounds, but as neither had families they preferred the proximities. They knew all about the strange man who had helped me complete the king’s impossible task. They sent out word through the town to try to find out who he was, but every inquiry came back with the same result. No one had heard of him. On the morning of the 3rd day, the king returned from a hunting trip and asked me to join him for lunch. I knew I would have to tell him everything. My ladies helped me to dress in the same glorious gold and cream dress I’d worn for my first meal with the king –braiding my hair into the same simple style. He smiled as I entered and I felt my fears lessen. He’d truly been so kind to me. Would the truth of my situation change his mind? I could barely focus as our meal was served my mind racing with how to tell him that we would lose our daughter from a careless agreement I’d made. “You seem tense, my dear, what’s wrong?” I swallowed hard. Bracing myself to speak. “You know. I might hazard a guess. You see I encountered something rather odd on my hunting trip last night. We were stalking a stag through the forest when I overheard a few voices speaking would you like to know what they said?”

“I-“

“The first man called out to his companion. Clearly frustrated. The second man turned and said, ‘I will have the queen’s daughter by tomorrow night. Trust me. She can’t win this game.”My eyes widen.

“You–I–“”Yes, my dear? Who are these men?”

“Your majesty, before I answer you have to ask, what did the first man call the companion? Did he say his name?”

“Yes. He called him Rumplestiltskin, I believe.”

My heart soared. “You believe?”

The frustration in his voice was mixed with confusion.”Well, it’s not a name that one hears very often so I’m rather sure. What is going on?”

I told him everything.

***

“Are you ready to guess my name or will you simply give me the child knowing it is pointless to try?” The man stepped toward me. The triumph in his eyes evident. “Oh, I could never give up without trying. I get three guesses, correct?” He nodded with amusement, as he sat on the window ledge.”Is your name Clifton?”

He smirked. “2 guesses, left.”

“Is your name, Giselle?”He held up a solitary finger as he stood up and stepped toward me.”No, your name wouldn’t be Giselle. That’s my name, though, if you were curious. I’m guessing your name must be Rumplestiltskin then?His hands fell to his side as his mouth dropped open. “What did you say?! Who told you this?!”

I rose from my chair and walked towards him. “Your name is Rumpelstiltskin and you will not come here again.”He stepped back, gave a quick nod and vanished.