Marrok’s hands clenched as the muffled shouts gnawed through his nerves. The breaking point of his frustration was nearing its limit when Pinocchio burst through the entrance, snow flurrying behind him. It was the first time that Marrok had ever seen any expression on the wooden man. Panic.
“A woman in red is coming. Go!”
Marrok floundered, unsure of where to turn. “Calith.” He gestured towards the door where the shouting abruptly came to a halt. Rumple’s bearded face poked out. Apparently he’d heard Pinocchio’s warning.
“Rose get into the back,” he ordered, “take Marrok with you.”
“Yes father.” Without hesitation, she grabbed him by the crook of his arm. Jerking Marrok away as though he were nothing but a rag doll, he could see Pinocchio returning to his post out in the cold.
“Where are we—“
“Shh!” Rose yanked him into a miniaturized library, leaving the door just open enough so they could peek out and see the entrance. Marrok could see hems of a red cloak around black books. Pinocchio remained firmly in the way as Rumple rushed out to greet the unexpected guest. Marrok shrunk further behind Rose. Would the wood man really be able to fight off an assassin of the king? All he ever did was sit out front.
“Let me in!” The woman’s voice made him shudder.
Pinocchio didn’t respond but Rumple’s voice was pleasant and calm as he said, “My dear woman, I couldn’t imagine what we might have anything to offer you.”
Marrok saw her boots trying to walk past the wood guard but Pinocchio didn’t budge an inch.
“I won’t ask you again. Let me in!”
Rumple must’ve gestured his welcome because the boots began stomping their way onto the stone floor. Clumps of half-melted snow fell to the ground.
“This way.” Rose said as she slipped over towards the bookshelves in the darkest corner of the room. As the sounds of the boots and the blonde’s shrill voice grew louder, Rose’s fingers scrambled to reach a book on the top shelf.
“Which one?” Marrok asked. She pointed to a muted yellow volume slightly off center. A soft metallic click caught his attention when he shifted the book out of place. The entire wall moaned before cracking open the width of a hand. It was too dark for Marrok to see what was inside but he thought he saw something move.
“Hurry.”
Marrok’s upper lip curled as he stepped into the dark passage. Something under his foot gave a loud squish. He made the mistake of reaching out for a nearby wall to give him something to hold to. Slime coated his hand. It smelled like rotten eggs and pus. Certain that he’d rather face a thousand assassins before remaining in that disgusting room, he tried to push his way out. Rose shoved him back.
“Quiet!” She hissed. Marrok shook his hand to try and get the stuff off him, determined not to lose any of his lunch along the way.
Rose latched onto the handle on the back of the shelves, tugging it back into place. A mere sliver of light came in from the left side. She pressed herself up against the wall, eyes closed. Marrok could only just see her outline in the nearly black room. Unable to shake the sludge from his skin, he relented by wiping his hand off on his pant leg before joining Rose her at the door. The voices on the other side sounded like whispers.
“If you tell me what you’re looking for,” Rumple said, “I might be able to help you find it.”
The woman muttered something back that Marrok couldn’t hear but the tone held a threat. He glanced to Rose, wondering if she and her father would really protect him. He didn’t even think that he’d be able to blame them if they did turn him over. He was nothing but a stranger to them. A farmer boy. “Rose,” maybe he could convince them just to keep Calith safe, “Rose, I—”
“Shh!” she clamped a hand over his mouth.
The voices grew louder and Marrok’s heartbeat pounded at his ears.
When the woman spoke again, he could hear, “The king doesn’t like it when people leave his service, Stiltskin. Especially not when they take things from him.”
“He threw Pinocchio away. I didn’t know it was a crime to clear out garbage.”
“Are you sure that’s all you took when you left?”
“Absolutely.”
The floorboards creaked in the next room and Marrok could hear the click-tap of heeled boots. He stopped breathing altogether when he heard the boot falls stop. She was right in front of them. Her body blocked the last of the light making him blind.
Everything stopped.
Marrok could hear the books on the other side of the wall being shuffled around. He felt his very heart begin to slow and Rose’s grip tightened so much he felt she’d pull his bottom jaw right off. Sweat dripped down his back and his head grew dizzy.
“If you’re quite done looking through my things,” Rumple’s voice broke the void and Marrok felt his lungs fill again, “I need to get things ready before winter settles in. And I’m sure your King is missing your.”
A scoff. “A pleasure as always, Stiltskin.”
Rose’s grip on Marrok’s face loosened when the click-tap became too distant to hear. The tense muscles in his body all relaxed at once and he crumpled to the ground. He couldn’t even bring himself to care when something wet began to seep through his pants.
“Is she gone?” Marrok asked.
“I’m not sure. They’ll let us out when it’s safe again.”
“Why did you come in with me?”
“Someone had to make sure that you didn’t do anything stupid.” He thought he could see the outline of a smile.
Rolling his eyes, Marrok got back on his feet, shaking off the rest of his nerves. A book shuffled the shelves before light flooded the small passage. Marrok sucked in the fresher air, eyes adjusting to the brightness.
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