It's time! The "What If..." Fairytale Madness Blogfest is here! To participate, we had to write a 300 word scene(s) that illustrated a new detail of a fairytale to change the perspective of the reader.
The four categories for this blog fest are (listed with their respective judges:
Team Tragedy: Leigh Covington
Team Comedy: Mark Koopmans
Team Plot Twist: Cassie Mae
Team Love Story: Morgan Shamy
Late Saturday night, hyped up on a Starbucks Latte and a significant amount of Diet Coke, I got down to work. I picked Rumplestiltskin, because I've always felt sorry for the poor guy, and landed squarely in Team Love Story. I hope you enjoy the story! I sure had fun writing it!
Rumplestiltskin
The miller’s daughter, now Queen and mother, searched the
darkness for his return. Her entire
pregnancy was a calendar for their reunion.
Each month the child grew brought him that much closer to her.
“Rumplestiltskin.”
She tested the name, the memory.
Her father had brought her to the castle, innocent and young. When all hope had fled, and she cried in fear
of her impending death, Rumple had come to her--wiped her tears and held her
close. While he spun hay into gold, he
told her of the King’s greed, and offered to take her away. Stupidly, she trusted the King to free her,
and refused.
Rumple returned the next night. To take her mind off her troubles, he’d shared
tales of faraway lands. She remembered
how his brown eyes danced and the curve of his smile. Before he left they shared a kiss so tender
the Queen’s heart ached.
The third night she waited for him, eager yet burdened with
sorrow. The King planned to marry her if
she produced more gold, and threatened to kill her and her father if she didn’t. She couldn’t leave the King now, but she was
determined that love would have first claim upon her body.
In the early morning hours of the bittersweet evening, the
Queen’s tears poured onto Rumple’s bare chest as she explained her future. He’d listened, somber, and then
made a request. He wanted any child that
might result from their union. The King
would have her, but he would have their love.
Sobbing, she'd agreed.
Tonight, he came to claim their daughter. She watched for him, her heart pounding with
anticipation.
The shadows beside the castle walls stirred.
“Rumplestiltskin.”
She ran to him, their child in her arms, never to return to her golden prison.
*****
Thank you Leigh, Mark, Cassie and Morgan for coming up with and hosting such a fun and creative blogfest!
