Happily Never After

Chapter 8: The Hat

Rumplestiltskin stayed occupied in his dark castle mixing potions. He had just finished the most recent concoction, and poured it onto the top hat.

“Now,Hat, take me to your owner,” Rumplestiltskin said. The hat gave off a white glow and led Rumplestiltskin to a wall in his castle. “A looking glass, of course!” He stepped through, top hat in hand. “Wonderland, what an awfully colorful place.” Rumplestiltskin continued to follow the hat’s directions until he found himself at the front gates of the queen’s palace. “Knock knock, Camellia, I’m here on business.” The gates were opened, and Rumplestiltskin made his way inside the palace.

“Lizard skin, what do you want,” Camellia asked annoyed?

“Now, my dear, I’d appreciate if you got my name right,” Rumplestiltskin said. “I did in fact get you your crown and your prisoner, I can take both away in a matter of seconds.”

“What do you want, Rumplestiltskin,” Camellia asked.

“I need to speak with the Hatter,” Rumplestiltskin answered. “It is in fact our anniversary.”

“Make it quick,” Camellia ordered, “or I’ll have to behead you both. Or do I need to remind you of what happened to ear old Alice?

“No need to be reminded of the child you slaughtered, dear sister,” Rumplestiltskin said. “No need at all.” Camellia pushed a lever that opened the floor beneath Rumplestiltskin, sending him to the Hatter’s cell below the castle.

“He’ll be fine,” Camellia said as her soldiers watched in a mixture of horror and awe. Rumplestiltskin landed in the catacombs where the Hatter was locked away. He found the cell with ease, being the Hatter was the only prisoner in the catacombs.

“Fancy seeing you here, Hatter,” Rumplestiltskin said. “All the queen’s horses and all the queen’s men, couldn’t put Alice together again. Yet here you are after all these years, you’re still trying to Frankenstein her back to life.”

“What do you want, Rumplestiltskin,” Hatter asked?

"Now, Hatter, you know I’ve kept up my end of the bargain,” Rumplestiltskin said. “I took your wife and daughters and sent them to another realm where they would be safe.”

“But you never said you’d take their memories of me,” Hatter shouted!

“But wouldn’t they be in danger if they remembered who they were here and that would prompt them to come back and try and rescue you,” Rumplestiltskin asked? “You and I both know the queen was quite generous to imprison you rather than behead you like she did Alice.”

“Tell me,” Hatter pleaded. “How are they?”

“Even another realm won’t protect them from me,” Rumplestiltskin said. “Especially when it is my home realm. Those daughters of yours and their naivety toward my deals.”

“What did you do,” Hatter asked?

“Oh. Hatter,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“My name is Gerard,” the hatter said.

“Alright, Gerard,” Rumplestiltskin said. “All I did was offer the deals. They paid the price. Especially that ginger one.”

“What did you do to Robin,” Gerard asked?

“How about I show you,” Rumplestiltskin said, pulling a small crystal ball from his pocket. “You see, after Robin and Marian were married, the village of Locksley suffered being taxed greatly by Queen Bromwen. She wanted to steal from the rich and give to the poor so they could pay these taxes. Now, Robin didn’t want to be caught, so I gave her cloak that made her present as a man. She went by the alias: Robin Hood. Now, she wasn’t paying her debt on time, so I sent your Jack up the beanstalk. Of course she brings back the waste of treasure: a goose that lays golden eggs. So I punished this by making it that Robin would be stuck as Robin Hood.” Rumplestiltskin laughed. “Now, about you. I need your magic, so open wide.” Rumplestiltskin held Gerard down, sucking out his magic and life force. He took the secret elevator back up to the throne room where Camellia was. “Consider this as a favor, sister.”