Myself Remembered (OnceUponALand Challenge submission)
Title:Myself Remembered
Song:To Myself I Turned by Lacuna Coil
Wordcount:1,213(ish)
Rating:PG/angst
Characters/Pairings:Happy, OFC
Fic:
Myself Remembered
Standing in the kitchen of the most expensive restaurant in Storybrooke didn't feel the same anymore. She reminded herself whatever curse they were under was now broke. Upon orders from the Prince, most people returned to work and she was hesitant to open business again. ((I was born in another world, strictly connected to a piece of my mind, it seems…)) She swallowed hard; she did not want to face her staff.
Mostly because they didn't know her as her true personality, they knew her as who she had become. And to be very honest, the person she became, named Jessica Landry, was the meanest bitch to enter the kitchen. This place was her baby and she was not afraid to release her temper on anyone who would jeopardize it's reputation as the best high end restaurant in town. She reached for a cup, realizing her hands were shaking and set it down with a clatter.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Came the voice of her pastry chef, the blonde man was concerned but his face was filled with nothing but joy.
She glanced up at him, "Who are you?" It seemed to be the new catchphrase sweeping town as those who had never met in their previous life were now shoulder to shoulder with a now complicated history.
"I'm Happy!" He chirped, "One of the Seven Dwarves and Royal Guard to Snow White," he bowed, still grinning. "And you?"
She bit her lip, "You wouldn't know me, most tales have forgotten me..."
"I have time to listen," he offered, but the held up a finger, headed to his area and pulled out a lemon tart. He returns with two forks. "Now go!" He smiled.
Holding back a laugh, she began "Once Upon A Time..."
Once upon a time there was a rich merchant with three beautiful daughters. Each daughter’s name meant beauty, for they were. ((It is a small cradle where I'm a kid, I am the princess in there, she couldn’t help but think)) The eldest was Duvessa, calm, collected, ever the mother to her younger sisters. The middle was Lily, the wild child. She raised hell and did it with a smile. The youngest and favored daughter was Belle.
“-Belle?! As in Belle of Beauty and the Beast?”
“Yeah, I assume that’s what Belle’s fate was, I do not know.”
“Oh, let me guess, you’re Duvessa!”
“Ha.”
“Well then, Lily, tell me more of the sisters I’ve never heard of,” Happy stated.
She arched her brows, “I would if you wouldn’t interrupt.”
“Touche.”
They were always kept behind the walls as the Second Orge War raged. Belle was kept the most secluded as she was her Father’s favorite. Duvessa helped run the castle, taking charge in her mother’s place. Lily, on the other hand, spent most of her time doing what she did best. She flirted and had fun, found every excuse to laugh and be as free as you could as a prisoner. If she hadn’t, she would have gone mad. It was still early in the war when her Father found a handsome Duke to marry her off to. Usually, the eldest daughter would have been cast off first, but to Maurice, it was easier to get rid of his problem child. The one who acted like the world wasn’t going to end, the one who looked painfully like her mother, down to her laugh. I have my own liberty inside of me, I acted like the king, the nation, no dictator or religions, no laws laid down for me could hold me down…
She shook herself from the memories, the images, trying to keep Lily separate, to keep her safe from the woman she had become.
The Duke promised to send his troops, to send his money as soon as the ring was on the girls finger. They all believed him, it was a beacon of hope to them. Little did they know the darkness was coming and they’d never be able to escape it.
As she arrived at his large estate, dressed in white, ready to wed, the most breath taking man she’d ever seen waited for her at the gate. The man, he introduced himself as Duke Aubrey and it was an honor to wed such a lovely woman. She blushed, this had not been the first man to say such words to her but he had been the most handsome man to do so. She had been so swept up in this happy ending she was about to get. It was away from the war, away from the fear. She thought it was freedom. She was naïve, stupid really.
“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself!” Happy interjected, offering a fork full of lemony custardy goodness. She leaned forward and ate it, after all, he was a surprisingly talented baker. Or at least Jack Harlan, the man he had been for almost 30 years was. She was sure as a dwarf, housekeeping wasn’t his strong suit. Or as the stories told, most in all the lands knew of Snow White by this time.
She sighed, “I can’t help it,” the confession left her easier than she thought; “I was an idiot. I was a young girl who was taken in by someone’s appearance, not realize how ugly they could be. I just wanted to live and be free and have fun.”
Happy put down the fork and patted her hand, “I like you more as Lily, Jessica was a-“
“Bitch? Hard ass? Cruel? Cold? Narcissist...oh God!”
He jumped in alarm, “What?”
“I became the person I feared and hated the most…I became my husband.”
The realization came at her like a train and as the memories of the last 28 years rushed over her, she couldn’t stop crying. Before she knew it her sobs grew hysterical to the point her chest was heaving so hard it hurt. Happy had gotten up and put his arms around her, trying to sooth her. Everything in her ached, her throat, her stomach, her chest, her head.
“Shhhh, you don’t have to continue, just take a breath, it’s ok…” he told her, “If it helps, at least you’re not in danger of being an eunuch.”
That startled her right out of her crying jag, “What?” she blurted.
“Dwarves! What do you know about us?” he asked.
She closed her eyes, trying to isolate her life as Lily, all the education and years of study, “Born from eggs, mine for diamonds which is made into fairy dust, no sexuality just work driven.”
Happy nodded, “Yup!”
“I thought that was a myth,” she laughed but it came out more as a hiccup and a snuffle. He passed her a napkin and took another to dab her eyes.
“Nah, it’s true. See this face? I was born this handsome, looked just like this…only more beardy…and a bigger nose. I digress. For us to be as focal to the work, we are basically born as eunuchs. Love for us, well physical love, is just a dream. We don’t get a true love; we can love each other brothers and sisters and be dedicated to Snow as our Queen and caretaker but nothing beyond. It’s just a dream.”
Never in her life had she seen such a sad, happy smile. “That’s tragic.”
He shook his head, “I don’t mind. As long as I have Snow and I have my Brothers, we’re alright. Sorry to interrupt again, please continue your tale Lily. Let someone know the tale so that one day, you will join our pages.”
Finding the strength to talk again, she struggled to smile, “Ok because now I have to choose do I want to live here and if I will be strong enough for this”
“We all will,” Happy told her, still holding her hand, “We all do.”
As you see I am the only survivor in this land, as Avonlea fell…
((FYI, I liked this so much it will probably be a series))
Hope you liked it too!
And yes, originally Belle has two-three sisters depending on the tale...))
Song:To Myself I Turned by Lacuna Coil
Wordcount:1,213(ish)
Rating:PG/angst
Characters/Pairings:Happy, OFC
Fic:
Myself Remembered
Standing in the kitchen of the most expensive restaurant in Storybrooke didn't feel the same anymore. She reminded herself whatever curse they were under was now broke. Upon orders from the Prince, most people returned to work and she was hesitant to open business again. ((I was born in another world, strictly connected to a piece of my mind, it seems…)) She swallowed hard; she did not want to face her staff.
Mostly because they didn't know her as her true personality, they knew her as who she had become. And to be very honest, the person she became, named Jessica Landry, was the meanest bitch to enter the kitchen. This place was her baby and she was not afraid to release her temper on anyone who would jeopardize it's reputation as the best high end restaurant in town. She reached for a cup, realizing her hands were shaking and set it down with a clatter.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Came the voice of her pastry chef, the blonde man was concerned but his face was filled with nothing but joy.
She glanced up at him, "Who are you?" It seemed to be the new catchphrase sweeping town as those who had never met in their previous life were now shoulder to shoulder with a now complicated history.
"I'm Happy!" He chirped, "One of the Seven Dwarves and Royal Guard to Snow White," he bowed, still grinning. "And you?"
She bit her lip, "You wouldn't know me, most tales have forgotten me..."
"I have time to listen," he offered, but the held up a finger, headed to his area and pulled out a lemon tart. He returns with two forks. "Now go!" He smiled.
Holding back a laugh, she began "Once Upon A Time..."
Once upon a time there was a rich merchant with three beautiful daughters. Each daughter’s name meant beauty, for they were. ((It is a small cradle where I'm a kid, I am the princess in there, she couldn’t help but think)) The eldest was Duvessa, calm, collected, ever the mother to her younger sisters. The middle was Lily, the wild child. She raised hell and did it with a smile. The youngest and favored daughter was Belle.
“-Belle?! As in Belle of Beauty and the Beast?”
“Yeah, I assume that’s what Belle’s fate was, I do not know.”
“Oh, let me guess, you’re Duvessa!”
“Ha.”
“Well then, Lily, tell me more of the sisters I’ve never heard of,” Happy stated.
She arched her brows, “I would if you wouldn’t interrupt.”
“Touche.”
They were always kept behind the walls as the Second Orge War raged. Belle was kept the most secluded as she was her Father’s favorite. Duvessa helped run the castle, taking charge in her mother’s place. Lily, on the other hand, spent most of her time doing what she did best. She flirted and had fun, found every excuse to laugh and be as free as you could as a prisoner. If she hadn’t, she would have gone mad. It was still early in the war when her Father found a handsome Duke to marry her off to. Usually, the eldest daughter would have been cast off first, but to Maurice, it was easier to get rid of his problem child. The one who acted like the world wasn’t going to end, the one who looked painfully like her mother, down to her laugh. I have my own liberty inside of me, I acted like the king, the nation, no dictator or religions, no laws laid down for me could hold me down…
She shook herself from the memories, the images, trying to keep Lily separate, to keep her safe from the woman she had become.
The Duke promised to send his troops, to send his money as soon as the ring was on the girls finger. They all believed him, it was a beacon of hope to them. Little did they know the darkness was coming and they’d never be able to escape it.
As she arrived at his large estate, dressed in white, ready to wed, the most breath taking man she’d ever seen waited for her at the gate. The man, he introduced himself as Duke Aubrey and it was an honor to wed such a lovely woman. She blushed, this had not been the first man to say such words to her but he had been the most handsome man to do so. She had been so swept up in this happy ending she was about to get. It was away from the war, away from the fear. She thought it was freedom. She was naïve, stupid really.
“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself!” Happy interjected, offering a fork full of lemony custardy goodness. She leaned forward and ate it, after all, he was a surprisingly talented baker. Or at least Jack Harlan, the man he had been for almost 30 years was. She was sure as a dwarf, housekeeping wasn’t his strong suit. Or as the stories told, most in all the lands knew of Snow White by this time.
She sighed, “I can’t help it,” the confession left her easier than she thought; “I was an idiot. I was a young girl who was taken in by someone’s appearance, not realize how ugly they could be. I just wanted to live and be free and have fun.”
Happy put down the fork and patted her hand, “I like you more as Lily, Jessica was a-“
“Bitch? Hard ass? Cruel? Cold? Narcissist...oh God!”
He jumped in alarm, “What?”
“I became the person I feared and hated the most…I became my husband.”
The realization came at her like a train and as the memories of the last 28 years rushed over her, she couldn’t stop crying. Before she knew it her sobs grew hysterical to the point her chest was heaving so hard it hurt. Happy had gotten up and put his arms around her, trying to sooth her. Everything in her ached, her throat, her stomach, her chest, her head.
“Shhhh, you don’t have to continue, just take a breath, it’s ok…” he told her, “If it helps, at least you’re not in danger of being an eunuch.”
That startled her right out of her crying jag, “What?” she blurted.
“Dwarves! What do you know about us?” he asked.
She closed her eyes, trying to isolate her life as Lily, all the education and years of study, “Born from eggs, mine for diamonds which is made into fairy dust, no sexuality just work driven.”
Happy nodded, “Yup!”
“I thought that was a myth,” she laughed but it came out more as a hiccup and a snuffle. He passed her a napkin and took another to dab her eyes.
“Nah, it’s true. See this face? I was born this handsome, looked just like this…only more beardy…and a bigger nose. I digress. For us to be as focal to the work, we are basically born as eunuchs. Love for us, well physical love, is just a dream. We don’t get a true love; we can love each other brothers and sisters and be dedicated to Snow as our Queen and caretaker but nothing beyond. It’s just a dream.”
Never in her life had she seen such a sad, happy smile. “That’s tragic.”
He shook his head, “I don’t mind. As long as I have Snow and I have my Brothers, we’re alright. Sorry to interrupt again, please continue your tale Lily. Let someone know the tale so that one day, you will join our pages.”
Finding the strength to talk again, she struggled to smile, “Ok because now I have to choose do I want to live here and if I will be strong enough for this”
“We all will,” Happy told her, still holding her hand, “We all do.”
As you see I am the only survivor in this land, as Avonlea fell…
((FYI, I liked this so much it will probably be a series))
Hope you liked it too!
And yes, originally Belle has two-three sisters depending on the tale...))