Rumpelstiltskin: Child Eater

“King Lancer, I think I have found a way to make all your problems go away.”

The King sat up a bit straighter in his throne. “What is it?”

“Not it, Sire, who? I have found you a girl.”

He fell back and sighed. “I already told you, Edgar, a wedding costs money and we have none.”

“On the contrary, this girl has worked a miracle.”

“And what miracle would that be?”

“She has spun your storehouses full of gold.” He held out the piece he kept in his tunic and placed it carefully in the king’s outstretched hand. “It’s purer than any gold I’ve ever seen. We now have three rooms full. Douran is the richest kingdom I’ve ever heard of!”

“Could it be?” King Lancer said in wonder. He stared at the gold in his hand, disbelieving of such a miracle. Then he realized what this meant, and he very nearly wept for joy. “You said to trust you, my friend, and it seems you have indeed proven yourself. What would you have as a reward?”

“All I ask is to serve you as I have for these past several years.”

The king stared at him. “That’s all? Surely you want something. You’ve saved the kingdom!”

Edgar smiled. “You give me too much credit, Sire. I wish only to see the restoration of these fine lands.”

“Thank you, Edgar.”

The advisor bowed low. “And now, would you like to meet her?”

King Lancer sat straight in his throne and nodded, staring eagerly at the door. “Please.”

“Come in, my dear.”

Arabella entered the room, her eyes turned to her interwoven fingers. She’d never been so nervous in all her life.

“You’ve saved Douran,” King Lancer said, trying to see the girl’s face. “Won’t you lift your head so that I may look upon the one who single-handedly saved my kingdom?”

Blushing furiously, she did as the king asked.

King Lancer gasped. She was beautiful. Her blue eyes shone brighter than diamonds from a porcelain face edged by wavy golden curls.

She felt her flush deepen under his gaze; his eyes that mirrored the sky regarded her kindly.

Edgar watched the exchange in fascination. He couldn’t help but smile as the haggard and worried appearance of the king faded. The king he now saw was no longer depressed and worn-out, but strong and full of life. The girl, on the other hand, was glowing with radiance. Together, they glistened brighter than any star and warmer than any summer day.

“What’s your name?” King Lancer asked.

“Arabella,” she said shyly.

“Arabella,” the king said coming to stand in front of her. “I would be the happiest man alive if you would do me the honour of becoming my wife.”

***

Tom nearly leapt for joy when the herald came to his door with a message from Arabella. To think, his daughter was to become Queen of Douran!

The wedding was the most joyous occasion any of the people had ever witnessed. There were even those who came from far away kingdoms to congratulate the king and his bride.

With King Lancer and Queen Arabella ruling Douran, the kingdom flourished. Wars were averted before rumour of them even began, alliances were made, and the people finally had peace. The markets buzzed with activity as they had in the days of old. Every day was a day of celebration, and the people were genuinely happy.

After a year of peace, the queen gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She had all the beauty and grace of her mother. They named her Princess Aaleyah.

The young princess was loved by all the people, but none as strongly as her parents. Together they were very happy, the horrible promise made all but forgotten.

***

“She looks even more like her mother now that she’s turning five tomorrow,” King Lancer said as he watched his daughter play.

Queen Arabella kissed him on the cheek and smiled warmly. “She’s our greatest gift.”

“Yes, and the people love her.”

That night, as the queen was putting her beloved child to sleep, an awful smelled awakened a terrible memory.

“Hello, Lady Queen.”

She screamed at the sight of the vile man.

“Give me what you promised,” he said, stepping toward the bed where the young girl slept peacefully. “Such a precious thing.”

The queen was horrified. “Please! Don’t take my child, I’ll give you anything! Just ask and it’ll be yours.”

“I’ve already named my price.”

“Please,” she pleaded. “You can have all the treasures of the kingdom, if you wish. I beg of you to find it in your heart to let me keep my child.”

“No!” the man snarled. “Something living is more important to me than all the treasures in the world.” He looked at the sleeping girl. “A beating heart is so much more delicious than lifeless trinkets.” He stepped closer, licking his lips greedily.

“Mommy?” Princess Aaleyah said, blinking her eyes open softly. She saw the man hovering above her and screamed. “MOM!”

Arabella grabbed her daughter and tried to run for the door, but the man was faster than she expected. In desperation, she ducked behind the table, but he flipped it with apparent ease. With the thought of protecting her child at the forefront of her mind, she dashed for the window, but he got there first.

“Give me the child!” he snarled. “Keep your promise, Lady Queen.”

“Never! I’ll not let you have her!”

The young princess was crying and sobbing heavily by now.

The man only laughed. “The choice is no longer yours. That child already belongs to me.”

“NO!” she screamed, arms wrapped in a tight, protective circle around her precious girl.

The man eyed her connivingly. “I’ll make you a new deal,” he said slowly. “I’ll give you three days to guess my name. If you can guess it correctly by the third day, you shall keep your child.”

“Oh, thank you!”

“But!” he said, pulling himself up to tower over her. “If you do not guess my name, that child is mine.”

She looked down at her daughter and gently stroked her soft, golden curls. Steeling her jaw, she turned back to the man and nodded.

“Until then, I’ll take my recompense from the town.”

“NOOO!” she screamed, but he was gone.

At that moment, the door opened and the king burst in. “Arabella, what’s wrong?”

She wept and told him everything. “I’m sorry,” she said at the end of her tale. “You can imprison me if you wish, but please, protect the children. He’ll eat them if we don’t guess his name!”

“I’ll not have you imprisoned,” King Lancer said softly. He took his wife and wrapped her shaking body in his arms; their once more sleeping child nestled between them. “I love you. Don’t worry. We’ll do all we can to stop this dangerous creature from getting what he wants.”

All the palace guards were sent out into the surrounding towns and villages, but too late. Several children had already been taken.

“Gather ever name you can,” King Lancer ordered. “And search the surrounding areas for this devil’s hideout. We might yet save those he’s taken.”

The next day, scrolls containing lists of names poured into the palace.

“Arabella?”

The queen turned from the scroll she was pouring over at the familiar voice. “Father?”

He opened his arms, and she ran into them. “I don’t know what to do,” she wailed fearfully. “This is all my fault!”

“Shh,” he hushed. “This is none of your fault. It is I who is to blame, for it was I who lied. To this day, I know not why I ever said you could spin straw to gold. But my darling child, I think I know someone who can help us,” he said, holding her away from him.

“Y-you do?”

“Her face has been haunting me these last few nights. I will find her and bring her to you as soon as I can.”

“Please.”

It was supper time when the horrible man appeared to hear if they could guess his name. One-by-one, they went through the lists they had collected.

“Kaspar? Melchoir? Balzar?”

To each name he only laughed; a terrible sound that made all who heard quiver down to their bones. “All wrong,” he said once they had exhausted their lists.

“Please, do not eat the children of the good people,” Arabella pleaded.

“Give me your child, and I shall spare them.”

The queen could only cry.

“Then I shall continue to collect as many children as I desire.”

News spread to their allied kingdoms and names from all the lands poured in. By the next day, they had compiled a list of the strangest and most unusual names.

“All wrong,” he said at his next visit, and vanished.

“What will we do?” Arabella wailed.

“Pray for a miracle,” King Lancer said.

“I’ve found her!” Tom said at that moment, running breathlessly into the room.

“Found who?” the king asked.

Tom stepped aside and the old woman he’d met so many years ago shuffled forward. She was bent oddly, and her eyes seemed distant.

“Can you help us?” Queen Arabella asked nervously.

“This has happened before,” she said in a strangely smooth voice. “Oh yes, many times past.”

“Will you tell us what happened?” Tom urged her.

With a word from the king, a stool was brought for the woman to sit on as she recounted her tale. “Once upon a time, long ago, the kingdom of Douran was poor and without a queen. A girl came forward, claiming to have the ability to beat metal into gold. They locked her in a room to see if what she claimed was truth. It was not. Fortunately for her, a strange man offered to help her, but in exchange she agreed to give up her firstborn child. The kingdom grew wealthy, the girl was made queen, but when she gave birth to her first child, it was taken from her.”

The king and queen exchanged horrified looks.

“And that wasn’t the only time,” the woman continued. “Four times this same thing has happened over the course of Douran’s history.”

“What can we do to break this cycle?” the king demanded.

The woman paused, deep in thought. “Perhaps, the only way is for him to die.”