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Title: The Language of Flowers
Type: Gen
Rating: PG-13
Character: Belle, Mirror/Sidney, Jefferson, O.C.s
Spoilers: Through the finale
Word Count: 606
Summary: Belle encounters Jefferson through the Black Queen’s looking glass.
Note: This story is a sequel to “The Name Bestowed.”
Belle made tea cakes -- shaped and frosted blue roses. Blue roses were impossible in Storybrooke, even with magic, according to Rumplestiltskin. They were not impossible in Wonderland, however, where she had seen them reflected within the Black Queen’s mirror – the warden mirror Belle had named Sidney Glass…
Within the four gray walls of Queen Regina’s secret prison called Shalot, Belle addressed Sidney Glass. “Please show me color.”
“As you wish,” replied Sidney Glass. “Shall it be red as blood, white as snow, or black as ebony?”
Belle shook her head, determined not to indulge Sidney Glass in his indulgence of the queen’s madness. “Please show me any colors but those.”
The looking glass shaped as Rumplestiltskin’s spinning wheel rippled revealing giant blue roses – giant talking blue roses. “You want to deadhead me,” queried one fading bloom, “to make a hat?”
“Yes. Yes. Yes.” The gleam in the hatter’s eyes was unhealthy, as he explained himself to the flower. “You’re the prettiest rose here, and beauty carries with it strong magic. You’ll bloom afresh, and I’ll get the power to bring me home to my daughter.”
“You absolutely swear I’ll be lovely, again?” The rose pressed her leaves together in supplication.
“Bless your vanity,” replied the hatter. “I swear.” With that, the young father took up the cruelest cutting implement Belle had ever seen – black serrated insect mandibles configured for gardening. “I also swear the vorpal blades will be painless.”
“Very well,” said the rose.
“Who is this poor man?,” asked Belle. “Why does he have to assure the rose that the blades are painless? Roses are deadheaded when dead. The rose would be past pain.”
Sidney Glass told her Jefferson’s tale, reflecting past images to aid Belle’s understanding. Returning to the present, Sidney Glass continued, “Wonderland Roses are deadheaded while yet alive.”
“That’s horrible.” Belle shuddered, pitying the flower and the man.
“That’s Wonderland,” replied Sidney Glass matter-of-factly.
A plan formed in Belle’s mind. “May I communicate with Jefferson through you?”
“No, not directly.” answered Sidney Glass. “He has no mirror. However, you may communicate with him through one of the roses. They have mirrors in their minds through which their own beauty is reflected back to them. Hence, their vanity.”
Belle contemplated the idea of speaking through a rose and braced herself. “What do I have to do?”
“Be serene,” directed Sidney Glass. “The rose you commune with won’t appreciate agitation.”
“Serene.” Belle gathered herself, meditating on memories of Rumplestiltskin’s hands teasing gold thread from spinning straw. “Begin.”
The outer grays of her prison blended into the inner blues of a receptive rose. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said to Belle. “I don’t like being ignored, and now I’ll be part of the conversation.”
“Thank you for helping me,” said Belle, curtseying to the rose. “You are beautiful.”
The rose nodded, smiling. “The hatter is very pretty, too, in his way. Shall we start?”
Jefferson had just cut away the bloom to whom he had been speaking (She’d barely yelped -- Thank the gods) when he found himself addressed by another.
“Hello Jefferson. My name is Belle, and I’ve been betrayed by Queen Regina, too.” The rose calling herself Belle told him her story in vivid detail with changing voice and dwarf digression. When she was finished, the Belle-Rose asked, “Would you like me to contact your daughter through Sidney Glass? I can.”
The father broke, sobbing in the Belle-Rose’s leafy embrace. “Please…”
Belle made tea cakes -- shaped and frosted blue roses. She hoped they were suitable down payment on the debt she and Rumplestiltskin owed Jefferson and his Grace.
Type: Gen
Rating: PG-13
Character: Belle, Mirror/Sidney, Jefferson, O.C.s
Spoilers: Through the finale
Word Count: 606
Summary: Belle encounters Jefferson through the Black Queen’s looking glass.
Note: This story is a sequel to “The Name Bestowed.”
Belle made tea cakes -- shaped and frosted blue roses. Blue roses were impossible in Storybrooke, even with magic, according to Rumplestiltskin. They were not impossible in Wonderland, however, where she had seen them reflected within the Black Queen’s mirror – the warden mirror Belle had named Sidney Glass…
Within the four gray walls of Queen Regina’s secret prison called Shalot, Belle addressed Sidney Glass. “Please show me color.”
“As you wish,” replied Sidney Glass. “Shall it be red as blood, white as snow, or black as ebony?”
Belle shook her head, determined not to indulge Sidney Glass in his indulgence of the queen’s madness. “Please show me any colors but those.”
The looking glass shaped as Rumplestiltskin’s spinning wheel rippled revealing giant blue roses – giant talking blue roses. “You want to deadhead me,” queried one fading bloom, “to make a hat?”
“Yes. Yes. Yes.” The gleam in the hatter’s eyes was unhealthy, as he explained himself to the flower. “You’re the prettiest rose here, and beauty carries with it strong magic. You’ll bloom afresh, and I’ll get the power to bring me home to my daughter.”
“You absolutely swear I’ll be lovely, again?” The rose pressed her leaves together in supplication.
“Bless your vanity,” replied the hatter. “I swear.” With that, the young father took up the cruelest cutting implement Belle had ever seen – black serrated insect mandibles configured for gardening. “I also swear the vorpal blades will be painless.”
“Very well,” said the rose.
“Who is this poor man?,” asked Belle. “Why does he have to assure the rose that the blades are painless? Roses are deadheaded when dead. The rose would be past pain.”
Sidney Glass told her Jefferson’s tale, reflecting past images to aid Belle’s understanding. Returning to the present, Sidney Glass continued, “Wonderland Roses are deadheaded while yet alive.”
“That’s horrible.” Belle shuddered, pitying the flower and the man.
“That’s Wonderland,” replied Sidney Glass matter-of-factly.
A plan formed in Belle’s mind. “May I communicate with Jefferson through you?”
“No, not directly.” answered Sidney Glass. “He has no mirror. However, you may communicate with him through one of the roses. They have mirrors in their minds through which their own beauty is reflected back to them. Hence, their vanity.”
Belle contemplated the idea of speaking through a rose and braced herself. “What do I have to do?”
“Be serene,” directed Sidney Glass. “The rose you commune with won’t appreciate agitation.”
“Serene.” Belle gathered herself, meditating on memories of Rumplestiltskin’s hands teasing gold thread from spinning straw. “Begin.”
The outer grays of her prison blended into the inner blues of a receptive rose. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said to Belle. “I don’t like being ignored, and now I’ll be part of the conversation.”
“Thank you for helping me,” said Belle, curtseying to the rose. “You are beautiful.”
The rose nodded, smiling. “The hatter is very pretty, too, in his way. Shall we start?”
Jefferson had just cut away the bloom to whom he had been speaking (She’d barely yelped -- Thank the gods) when he found himself addressed by another.
“Hello Jefferson. My name is Belle, and I’ve been betrayed by Queen Regina, too.” The rose calling herself Belle told him her story in vivid detail with changing voice and dwarf digression. When she was finished, the Belle-Rose asked, “Would you like me to contact your daughter through Sidney Glass? I can.”
The father broke, sobbing in the Belle-Rose’s leafy embrace. “Please…”
Belle made tea cakes -- shaped and frosted blue roses. She hoped they were suitable down payment on the debt she and Rumplestiltskin owed Jefferson and his Grace.