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[Games] Rumpelstiltskin
(I changed my mind about the original age I selected for the queen. Women usually married young in medevial settings, so at the beginning of the story she is 16, but turns 17 while pregnant. )
UN: Starshelle
King: Robert Lucian III (29)
Queen: Rosabel (17)
Princess: Junia "Juniper" Catherine
Tale: RumpelstiltskinThe third day came and the king arrived to the tower where she had been locked within. To his surprise and delight he found her with the straw spun into gold. Immediately, he made the decision to marry Rosabel and make her Camoria's next queen. He did not ask her consent to marry though. After all, nobody lest of all common miller's daughter, says no to the king. The marriage was a fabulous, decadent affair, and the nobles who attended could not believe that Rosabel was a commoner."She is far too beautiful to have been born to common stock." Rosabel overheard one woman said. She blushed terribly at the words, for she never thought herself to be beautiful, but the servants did tame her unruly thick brown hair, so it cascaded down her back in waves. White roses were her favorite flower, and so she wore a crown of them about her head. Her dress is blue, the color of the sky, trimmed in gold, the colors of the Camoria kingdom. Her father did not appear at the wedding, a fact which relieved Rosabel. She was so furious at him for putting her in this situation in the first place, that she did not bother to ask why he was not present. Some duke lead down the hall and into the massive throne room where everyone was gathered and craned their necks to spot the new, young woman who was soon to be their queen.King Robert looked so regal and the doublet he wore—navy blue trimmed with gold, the very same gold she supposedly weaved—indicated a muscular physique underneath. On his head he wore a large golden crown with rare blue diamonds and smaller white and yellow ones. For all his cruelness, willing executing an innocent girl for a foolish lie her father told, Rosabel still could not deny his raw attractiveness.I have no choice but to marry him. Maybe I can learn to love him, and maybe he'll learn to love me, so that it doesn't matter if I can't do what he thinks I can. King Robert looked at her with a smile, but she found no warmth or love in his cold gray eyes. No, she was just a prize; a beautiful young woman who had a marvelous gift of spinning straw into gold. Only of course she didn't—that strange little follow who came to her did. What would happen to her if the king ever learned the truth? She banished that thought from her mind and bowed before the king. Then the priest made them recite their vows, and Robert removed the wreath of roses from her head and replaced it with a golden crown lined with blue diamonds. She was no longer Rosabel, a miller's daughter, She was now Queen Rosabel of Camoria!Public beddings were not uncommon in past royal marriages, but King Robert's prudish sensibilities made him to override this tradition, so they were escorted into their private chambers where they then consummated their marriage. The first time was painful for her, but her female servants had warned previously that it often is the first time, though it'll improve subsequently. And so she discovered their words to be true, though she soon began to feel a tinge of resentment for how much the king seemed to put his pleasure first while hers always seemed an afterthought. The common folk celebrated for days after the wedding in the streets. She waved them from a carriage that rode through the city for her first public appearance, and guards had to clear the road to give the carriage a path to travel, as the throng kept blocking it. Never before in the 500 year history of Camoria had a king married a commoner, and so adoring crowds would gather whenever she made a public appearance. Where King Robert was known for being a harsh, imposing, larger than life figure, Queen Rosabel was one of them, and they could relate to her. His choice to marry her seemed to soften his image and his popularity rose with hers.Rosabel soon finds herself pregnant, and the promise she had made out of desperation to the ugly little man who spun her the gold came back to haunt her thoughts. Surely, he couldn't have meant it! What would a person like that want with a baby anyway? If he comes back, I'll offer him more valuable jewels, far more valuable than the old ring and necklace I gave him last time. Forthwith she put him out of her mind and focused her thoughts on her child. Everyone in the kingdom was hoping for the baby to be a boy, especially King Robert who, when speaking about the future, only referred to the baby as "he" as if by doing so would preclude it from being a girl. Queen Rosabel of course nodded and pretended to be in agreement, but in her secret heart she hoped for a little girl. Such fond memories she had of her little sister whose long hair she'd braid, and she had the sweetest dimpled smile and laugh. A terrible plague had swept through the kingdom though, and only she, the oldest of her father's children and of course her father himself survived it. How she wished her mother and younger brothers and sisters had survived too. They could be living in the castle with her, or perhaps her mother would have stopped her father's foolish lies and bragging, and she could have married that sweet cobbler's son who always smiled shyly after her, and one time worked up the nerve to bring her a bouquet of wildflowers.Would I have chosen to marry a cobbler's son over the king? Oh, how people would think me mad for even hesitating! Yet the boy would look at her with such affection and adoration in his eyes. He made her feel loved, where King Robert made her feel like an object, a pretty object for him to display, and a vessel in which he might sire an heir.So with some hidden delight she gave birth to a daughter instead. You can't always get your way, my king, Rosabel smirked to herself. Her little baby is born with a full set of hair, brown like herself. Such adorable chubby cheeks and tiny little toes, she cradled her in her arms, not ever wanting to let her go."Everyone else may be disappointed you're a girl, but I'm not," she whispers to her, "You'll be my little Juniper just like my sister was ."Flower names were popularly given to children by commoners, but not among royalty, so Rosabel was persuaded to use Junia instead, leaving Juniper to be her special nickname for her daughter. Catherine was used as her second name in honor of King Robert's mother, which is the normal royal tradition.The first big conflict she ran into was her desire to breastfeed her baby instead of handing her off to a wet nurse as women of higher classes normally did. The king was eager to try again as soon as possible for an heir though and breastfeeding is well known for reducing a woman's fertility. She argued with him bitterly over this, and never before has she seen King Robert so furious at her insubordination. His face was grew red, and since being so much taller and stronger, she felt like a tiny mouse going up against a gigantic bear. However, as frightened as she was of him, she was determined to hold her ground. "You may be King of Camoria, but when it comes to caring infants, that is *my* sphere of influence, and I will do it this way.""You are no longer a poor miller's daughter. You are my queen, and I will not have my wife be seen feeding my child like some peasant woman.""I will, and if you try to stop me, I promise you I'll find a way to never give you the son you want so badly."King Robert looked so mad that Rosabel braced herself to be hit, but then kindly old physician came to her defense. Malachi had been King Robert's physician since he was a baby himself, and he possessed a calming, grandfatherly way with the king that nobody else had."Sire, I would advise that you permit this. Her highness conceived the first child quickly and undoubtedly will do so again soon regardless of breastfeeding. I've also helped with the delivery of main children over the decades, including yourself, those years ago. Undeniably, having too many children too quickly is hard on the mother's health."The king did not appear the least moved by this, so Malachi continued:"Also, did you know your queen is one of the few children who contracted the plague ten years ago and recovered fully? So many poor children died; only the healthiest of them lived, and so her mother's milk should be especially potent, more so than most wet nurses can offer. Also, if she should not learn to feed her first baby now, she might have more difficulties feeding your future son, and surely you would only want the best for him to subsist and thrive upon?"Finally the last bit persuaded him, but he would only permit her to feed Junia in a room by herself, and no one else could see her while she was doing this. After the king had left, Rosabel hugged the physician."Oh thank you, sir. It means so much to me."He gave her a friendly smile and reached over to pat her shoulder. "You can call me, Malachi if you wish to, your highness. I am sorry King Robert is so rigid and unyielding at times. He was a sweet child if you can believe it, but his father so harsh and demanding, that he beat the kindness out of him. However, I believe it's still there, buried somewhere deep down perhaps. His mother did not care for children either, and so he felt pressure to be the perfect son and heir from his father, and a bore and nuisance to his mother. At least your children will have your love and kindness, so there is hope for them. Be strong for them, my queen."Rosabel fought back tears and nodded, "I will, Malachi. I'll do my best for them."So she stole away as often as she could to one of the private rooms to nurse her daughter. It had been challenging for her to get Junia to latch, but by three weeks, she was nursing well, putting on weight and the picture of health. She never imagined she could love anyone as much as she did her beautiful baby girl, and so enthralled was she in her new motherhood that she had managed to put away all thoughts of the strange little man out of her mind. One day, when nursing privately, he appeared out of what seemed to be thin air.She gasped and held her daughter close to her. "How did you get in here?"He grinned a crooked grin with missing teeth and what teeth were there were rotting and yellow."Why the same way I'm able to make straw into gold. Did you really think I would not come to collect on your promise?""No!" Rosabel fought back tears. "You can't have her. Please, please don't take her. I'll give you anything else but not her. I have jewelry, far more valuable than what I gave you before. I'll give you all of that, just don't take her." She thought of crying for the guards, but if this awful man could make himself appear out of thin air, he could surely disappear before they came to her."Now, now I won't have it said that I'm a cruel man. I'll give you a chance to keep your babe. I'll return here in this room tomorrow, and two days after that. If you can guess my name within that time, then I'll consider our deal null and void.""I agree!" Rosabel said and when the man had left, she compiled a huge list of names, enlisting in her servants' help, and the head librarian of the castle's vast collection of books. Everyone thought the queen's sudden fixation on collecting names queer, but one does not question royalty usually, so they did as she asked. The next two days she read name after name after name to the little man, but each time he declared with glee that "Nope! That's not my name." Finally on the second day he told her, "Tomorrow I will come and if you cannot guess it, then I'm leaving with your child. Good luck!" He chuckled and vanished into thin air.That morning even the king noticed Rosabel looking so despondent and asked her what was bothering her so. "Nothing, my lord. Just silly women issues." King Robert snorted derisively, and they eat the rest of their breakfast in silence. After the king left her to tend to his duties, one of her servants came running up to her."Oh, Millie," Rosabel asked her with desperation in her voice, "were you able to find anymore names for me?"She shook her head. "I'm sorry your highness, but I think you've collected just about every name there could possibly be, however one of the royal messengers said he overheard a strange name, and he would like to give it to you in person.""Oh by all means please send him in!"This messenger sported curly black hair, a young man, perhaps the same age as the queen. He knelt before her and said, "Your Grace, I heard you were searching for names, and I thought this might interest you. I was passing through the mountains, when the trail I usually take was blocked by a fallen trees and earth, so I had to cut through another way, and I came across this hut and this peculiar short man who was singing this song: "Today do I bake, tomorrow I brew,
The day after that the queen's child comes in;
And oh! I am glad that nobody knew
That the name I am called is Rumpelstiltskin!"The queen gasped with unbridled joy, and to the messenger's great surprise she embraced him tightly and then kissed him on the cheek. "Oh thank you so much. What is your name?"He stammered a little, "Uh-uh, Eduard, m'lady.""Eduard, I want you to have this." She gave him a golden sapphire bracelet worth a small fortune. "Please take it, but don't tell anyone else what you heard, please?"His eyes widened, and he bowed before her. "No, I swear upon my father's name I shall not."Rosabel nodded and dismissed him. She hurried over to the bassinet, where her daughter slept her in swaddling clothes."Oh, there's my precious, Juniper. Mommy is not letting anyone take you anywhere." Junia made an adorable giggle, gazing at her mother with such complete and utter trust. The queen felt so elated. She soon took her into the private room to nurse and sure enough there appeared the gnomish fiend whose name she now knew."Have any more guesses for me, your highness, before I collect my prize?" He grinned his gap tooth grin and rubbed his hands eagerly eying the infant she held at her breast.""Well, could it possibly be Robert?""Ha! Do I look like your kingly husband? No!""What about William?""Bah, you've guessed that already. Admit it, you are out of ideas.""Well, I do have one more." The queen began to smile triumphantly, "Could it possibly be Rumpelstiltskin?""No!" He screeched angrily, "No, no how did you know? This isn't fair!" He stumped his feet so hard that his leg went through the floor and he pulled at it tore himself apart, blood and guts spilled into a heap in the room. The queen, not at all expecting such a gruesome sight, let out a horrible shriek, and her baby sensing her mother's fright, started to wail as well. Immediately guards and servants came running, and one of them helped her out of the room."What happened, your highness?" asked one of the guards."I-I don't know." "Don't question her! She's the queen. Let's just clean up this mess."The horrendous scene had nauseated her greatly, but she fought mightily to not throw up in front everyone. One of the stronger guards carried her in his arms to her quarters and placed on her on the bed to rest while Millie tended to baby princess.After having a chance to rest, her stamina quickly returned. Such relief came to her! Rumpelstiltskin was gone for good and could not threaten her or her daughter ever again. Later on she gathered her daughter into her arms, and holding her securely, watched the sun set on their balcony that overlooked the great city Gordian, named after the founding king. "Say bye, bye to the sun, Junie. Look at those colors, aren't they beautiful? Of course not as beautiful as you my precious little girl."Junia, not understanding a word her mother said, nevertheless let out a delighted squeal.

This message was edited 2/21/2011, 6:54 PM

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