for Dreams and Tears6/28/2012 c5 
66Kathryn Hart
This story is incredible! I can't wait to see what you've got planned next! xD
66Kathryn HartThis story is incredible! I can't wait to see what you've got planned next! xD
5/5/2012 c5 2TheUn-AwesomeMe
That was Awesome. Seriously, as Gold started to lift out whatever object it was I was just thinking "Oh god what if it's another journal?", which kind of freaked me out.
Cool story, I'd love to see what's next!
2TheUn-AwesomeMeThat was Awesome. Seriously, as Gold started to lift out whatever object it was I was just thinking "Oh god what if it's another journal?", which kind of freaked me out.
Cool story, I'd love to see what's next!
4/2/2012 c4 EditorIncredulous
My dear, for a self-proclaimed "straightforward kind of gal," you have a remarkably twisted sense of humor. You're snickering right now, aren't you, leaving us with a cliffhanger like that? PLEASE tell me you have the next chapter waiting in the wings for close to immediate release. Please?
Okay, pleading aside, this was another brilliant chapter. I love the ongoing tension of Gold fighting the curse; it would certainly explain his often-testy manner on the show, heh heh. And I'm with becca on the "Extroverts" comment. The man has to be mental to be so casual with the man the entire town fears. Of course, he IS the Gingerbread Man (...right?), so maybe he thinks he can outrun the consequences.
The thing I think is the most brilliant, though, is the two paragraphs where you expostulate on the reasons why Gold is the way he is (not that that's what you're doing, but it paints a vivid picture nonetheless...). I imagine that it WOULD get rather tedious, warning people over and over and over and have them still try to get out of the consequences of their actions - wanting to have their cake and eat it, too. I was rather worried that you were going to go all GoldSwan and turn our favorite antihero into a goody-two-shoes-yay-Emma fruitcake. I should know better by now, I really should, my sincere apologies and I grovel at your feet for forgiveness for entertaining such an unworthy thought. Very, very nice job, declaring straight up why Gold won't be joining Team Cobra. And setting up such a lovely power-struggle between the three of them (queen, Gold, Emma). Too delicious.
Looking forward to your next installment
~ EI
My dear, for a self-proclaimed "straightforward kind of gal," you have a remarkably twisted sense of humor. You're snickering right now, aren't you, leaving us with a cliffhanger like that? PLEASE tell me you have the next chapter waiting in the wings for close to immediate release. Please?
Okay, pleading aside, this was another brilliant chapter. I love the ongoing tension of Gold fighting the curse; it would certainly explain his often-testy manner on the show, heh heh. And I'm with becca on the "Extroverts" comment. The man has to be mental to be so casual with the man the entire town fears. Of course, he IS the Gingerbread Man (...right?), so maybe he thinks he can outrun the consequences.
The thing I think is the most brilliant, though, is the two paragraphs where you expostulate on the reasons why Gold is the way he is (not that that's what you're doing, but it paints a vivid picture nonetheless...). I imagine that it WOULD get rather tedious, warning people over and over and over and have them still try to get out of the consequences of their actions - wanting to have their cake and eat it, too. I was rather worried that you were going to go all GoldSwan and turn our favorite antihero into a goody-two-shoes-yay-Emma fruitcake. I should know better by now, I really should, my sincere apologies and I grovel at your feet for forgiveness for entertaining such an unworthy thought. Very, very nice job, declaring straight up why Gold won't be joining Team Cobra. And setting up such a lovely power-struggle between the three of them (queen, Gold, Emma). Too delicious.
Looking forward to your next installment
~ EI
4/1/2012 c4 becca
'Extroverts. There should be a law.' ROFL. INDEED.
My other favorite line:'never let it be said that Rumplestiltskin is normal. That won't do.' Keep it coming! Woot!
'Extroverts. There should be a law.' ROFL. INDEED.
My other favorite line:'never let it be said that Rumplestiltskin is normal. That won't do.' Keep it coming! Woot!
4/1/2012 c3 becca
I've really enjoyed reading these chapters. The dream chapter was amazing! My favorite line from this chapter is how you describe his smile near the end, something like 'a hint of incisor and a touch of cruelty'. GREAT STUFF.
I've really enjoyed reading these chapters. The dream chapter was amazing! My favorite line from this chapter is how you describe his smile near the end, something like 'a hint of incisor and a touch of cruelty'. GREAT STUFF.
2/23/2012 c3 18natural-blue-26
Your muse is a wonderful person who sounds like she simply throws the best shindigs around dearie! 3
'Still, she was ripe for a deal. He'd always had a talent for knowing when someone was desperate for something, desperate enough to sell off even their most prized possessions.'
There's fresh blood in the town waters and Rumpel!shark!skin is circling looking to snag his prey unawares! Seriously, Gold missed his calling as someone on 'Extreme Couponing' with his deal obsession lol. -_^
'… if Granny's hot chocolate was a sin, it was one he would gladly be damned for.'
The fact that the man in town who tends to intimidate *everyone* else is drinking hot chocolate with his dinner like it's the best culinary thing thats EVER happened to him is all kinds of adorable. Just sayin'.
'His eyes lit on his mantle, on the small, chipped cup that sat so incongruously in a space much too large for it.
And lurched, his memories hitting him hard, so that he felt as if he'd been sucker-punched.'
Ugh. Curse you Regina! Cuuuuuurse yoooooou! *waves a torch and a pitchfork*
'Yes, anyone who irked Regina as much as Miss Swan did was worth keeping around, if only for the entertainment value. She would make a wonderful knight. Perhaps even, with the right incentives, a queen.'
Bwahahahaha. Oh, Mr. Gold. Deliberately setting up potential cat fights for the pure joy of watching Regina spit and hiss like a wet cat in particularly sexy high heels. Adore it. ^_^
'Somehow, this cup kept him anchored, centered. Reminded him that he was not just a small businessman in a nearly insignificant small town along the coast of a rather neglected state. He was Rumpelstiltskin.'
Yep. Cup = safety blanket official head canon now until OUaT Word of God says otherwise. If the muse strikes to you have plans to follow this drabble sequence back up until the current timeline, or at least 'Skin Deep' time? You've got such a lovely build up to Gold's freak out when Regina has Moe steal the cup going here. ^_^
Thank you so much for sharing your gift of writing with all of us again dearie!
18natural-blue-26Your muse is a wonderful person who sounds like she simply throws the best shindigs around dearie! 3
'Still, she was ripe for a deal. He'd always had a talent for knowing when someone was desperate for something, desperate enough to sell off even their most prized possessions.'
There's fresh blood in the town waters and Rumpel!shark!skin is circling looking to snag his prey unawares! Seriously, Gold missed his calling as someone on 'Extreme Couponing' with his deal obsession lol. -_^
'… if Granny's hot chocolate was a sin, it was one he would gladly be damned for.'
The fact that the man in town who tends to intimidate *everyone* else is drinking hot chocolate with his dinner like it's the best culinary thing thats EVER happened to him is all kinds of adorable. Just sayin'.
'His eyes lit on his mantle, on the small, chipped cup that sat so incongruously in a space much too large for it.
And lurched, his memories hitting him hard, so that he felt as if he'd been sucker-punched.'
Ugh. Curse you Regina! Cuuuuuurse yoooooou! *waves a torch and a pitchfork*
'Yes, anyone who irked Regina as much as Miss Swan did was worth keeping around, if only for the entertainment value. She would make a wonderful knight. Perhaps even, with the right incentives, a queen.'
Bwahahahaha. Oh, Mr. Gold. Deliberately setting up potential cat fights for the pure joy of watching Regina spit and hiss like a wet cat in particularly sexy high heels. Adore it. ^_^
'Somehow, this cup kept him anchored, centered. Reminded him that he was not just a small businessman in a nearly insignificant small town along the coast of a rather neglected state. He was Rumpelstiltskin.'
Yep. Cup = safety blanket official head canon now until OUaT Word of God says otherwise. If the muse strikes to you have plans to follow this drabble sequence back up until the current timeline, or at least 'Skin Deep' time? You've got such a lovely build up to Gold's freak out when Regina has Moe steal the cup going here. ^_^
Thank you so much for sharing your gift of writing with all of us again dearie!
2/23/2012 c2 natural-blue-26
I am so very glad you muse was please with my humble queries! So much love for this dream sequence, but my favorite bits are as follows:
'Except that his feet were down there, and his head was above them, so up had to be that way, and wasn't he glad to have that sorted out?'
Love this- very Hatter-ish logic ala 'Alice in Wonderland' which sets the tone for you to DROP ME OFF AN EMOTIONAL CLIFF AND STAB ME IN THE HEART with the rest of this piece nicely. -_^
'Power comes at a cost, and that day, Rumpelstiltskin learned another thing that his power had cost him. He could not grieve, as a father ought to properly grieve for his son. He could storm and rage and wail and curse, but he could not cry. He could mope and mourn, sink into the earth until even his immortal powers struggled to keep him alive, but he could not cry. He could wreak havoc and destruction, but all that was cured by a snapping of fingers, easy, simple; and still, he could not cry... His muscles grew weak until he could not stand, could only sink, could only sob, but they were dry sobs and no relief could be had from them.'
EMOTIONS. ALL OF THEM AND THEY ARE SO RAW AND KNAW ON MY HEART STRINGS. No seriously, what is it about parent/child angst just- just- augh. Explains a bit of his behavior post losing his son to before meeting Belle, though. So much emotion he can't work through in a traditional healthy manner, so he throws himself into tricks and deals. (And baby collecting.)
'The soft chuckle of a stream grew louder and then faded to a whisper as he bypassed the main body, following instead a tributary, if such a shallow, meandering gathering of water could be called that, up to its source among the moss and the rocks on a hillside.'
I can totally HEAR this brook- just like being up in the mountains away from civilization and a person can really focus on the sights/sounds/smells around them without outside man-made distractions. 3
'His hand hovered over hers, pushing down, down, a frustrating half inch of hard, solid glass between his flesh and hers...He shouted her name until his voice was raw, hammered at her crystal prison - tomb? - until his hands were bruised and bloody.'
AGAIN WITH THE TWISTING OF THE KNIFE. Especially after he punished himself earlier in the forest...
"I come as you have always come - at the extremity of distress, the apex of desperation, the climax of despair - to offer you a Deal."
Oi. Regina you God damn drama!queen, honestly. :P Funny how throwing Regina back into his sights yanked him out of his dream persona so quickly- the woman is definitely a cold bucket of water in the face of our dear anti-hero's flood of panicked self-loathing.
'The voice of the queen was like oil on glass. "She's not dead you know. Just in storage. Make a Deal with me and I can tell you how to rescue her."'
Yes. Because kidnapping people and putting them in "storage" like out of season Christmas decorations is totally acceptable social behavior Regina. Oh wait. No, no it's not.
"Aye. She's worth it. She's worth more than you, your curse, and all your happy endings put together. How's that working out, by the way? Happy, are you?"
LOVE. Even when he's down and she's trying to count him out and make him grovel, he takes back the snark she tried to steal from him and skewers her with it. Touché! (Also I love how he switches back and forth from one voice/personality to another without skipping a beat.)
"How do you save her? Why it's simple, dear Rumple," said the queen in her sing-song voice. "You just have to cry. One tear from your eye melts that block and sets her free. Ta-ta."
Wow. And everyone thought the woman who had the munchies for kids was a witch.
'He would look at these objects occasionally and wonder, what were they to him, that he kept them safe? Most times he forgot the thought as soon as he had it. Sometimes, a fragment of a dream would rise to the surface as he looked on his things, teasing him with hidden knowledge. There is something wrong, here, his mind would whisper. Something isn't right. Look around. Don't you see it? Who are you?'
Ah ha! There's my answer to your head canon! ^_^
'He'd treasured it, as a memento of the girl he'd once employed in his shop, who had a penchant for dropping things but had brought sunshine into his life. They'd had an argument - he couldn't remember over what - and she'd left.'
Ha- so this is a person the spell made him THINK gave importance to the cup for him, or was Belle once free in modern times and then the magic/Regina snagged her when she tried to leave? Now you've given me new things to ponder! I certainly hope you might get bitten by the writing bug to perhaps let us into Belle's dreams in the future.
'Everything he'd done, everything he'd said. Everything he'd felt. A monster couldfeel love, he'd proved that. A monster could feel anything.'
Hmmmm, someone's forgotten that their true love said they *weren't* a monster, haven't they? Belle will have to give him a reminder crash course. -_^
'How she must laugh, seeing all her pawns wandering around like puppets, their minds hers to control! She must have taken especial pleasure with him, erasing his mind and his memories like a hyperactive child given an etch-a-sketch. '
Quite the image you've conjured up here! ^_^ Love how Gold was able to cry in the end- very symbolic of his own curse via Regina breaking in a sense. Can't wait for the next part!
(Sorry insanely long review is so insanely long!)
I am so very glad you muse was please with my humble queries! So much love for this dream sequence, but my favorite bits are as follows:
'Except that his feet were down there, and his head was above them, so up had to be that way, and wasn't he glad to have that sorted out?'
Love this- very Hatter-ish logic ala 'Alice in Wonderland' which sets the tone for you to DROP ME OFF AN EMOTIONAL CLIFF AND STAB ME IN THE HEART with the rest of this piece nicely. -_^
'Power comes at a cost, and that day, Rumpelstiltskin learned another thing that his power had cost him. He could not grieve, as a father ought to properly grieve for his son. He could storm and rage and wail and curse, but he could not cry. He could mope and mourn, sink into the earth until even his immortal powers struggled to keep him alive, but he could not cry. He could wreak havoc and destruction, but all that was cured by a snapping of fingers, easy, simple; and still, he could not cry... His muscles grew weak until he could not stand, could only sink, could only sob, but they were dry sobs and no relief could be had from them.'
EMOTIONS. ALL OF THEM AND THEY ARE SO RAW AND KNAW ON MY HEART STRINGS. No seriously, what is it about parent/child angst just- just- augh. Explains a bit of his behavior post losing his son to before meeting Belle, though. So much emotion he can't work through in a traditional healthy manner, so he throws himself into tricks and deals. (And baby collecting.)
'The soft chuckle of a stream grew louder and then faded to a whisper as he bypassed the main body, following instead a tributary, if such a shallow, meandering gathering of water could be called that, up to its source among the moss and the rocks on a hillside.'
I can totally HEAR this brook- just like being up in the mountains away from civilization and a person can really focus on the sights/sounds/smells around them without outside man-made distractions. 3
'His hand hovered over hers, pushing down, down, a frustrating half inch of hard, solid glass between his flesh and hers...He shouted her name until his voice was raw, hammered at her crystal prison - tomb? - until his hands were bruised and bloody.'
AGAIN WITH THE TWISTING OF THE KNIFE. Especially after he punished himself earlier in the forest...
"I come as you have always come - at the extremity of distress, the apex of desperation, the climax of despair - to offer you a Deal."
Oi. Regina you God damn drama!queen, honestly. :P Funny how throwing Regina back into his sights yanked him out of his dream persona so quickly- the woman is definitely a cold bucket of water in the face of our dear anti-hero's flood of panicked self-loathing.
'The voice of the queen was like oil on glass. "She's not dead you know. Just in storage. Make a Deal with me and I can tell you how to rescue her."'
Yes. Because kidnapping people and putting them in "storage" like out of season Christmas decorations is totally acceptable social behavior Regina. Oh wait. No, no it's not.
"Aye. She's worth it. She's worth more than you, your curse, and all your happy endings put together. How's that working out, by the way? Happy, are you?"
LOVE. Even when he's down and she's trying to count him out and make him grovel, he takes back the snark she tried to steal from him and skewers her with it. Touché! (Also I love how he switches back and forth from one voice/personality to another without skipping a beat.)
"How do you save her? Why it's simple, dear Rumple," said the queen in her sing-song voice. "You just have to cry. One tear from your eye melts that block and sets her free. Ta-ta."
Wow. And everyone thought the woman who had the munchies for kids was a witch.
'He would look at these objects occasionally and wonder, what were they to him, that he kept them safe? Most times he forgot the thought as soon as he had it. Sometimes, a fragment of a dream would rise to the surface as he looked on his things, teasing him with hidden knowledge. There is something wrong, here, his mind would whisper. Something isn't right. Look around. Don't you see it? Who are you?'
Ah ha! There's my answer to your head canon! ^_^
'He'd treasured it, as a memento of the girl he'd once employed in his shop, who had a penchant for dropping things but had brought sunshine into his life. They'd had an argument - he couldn't remember over what - and she'd left.'
Ha- so this is a person the spell made him THINK gave importance to the cup for him, or was Belle once free in modern times and then the magic/Regina snagged her when she tried to leave? Now you've given me new things to ponder! I certainly hope you might get bitten by the writing bug to perhaps let us into Belle's dreams in the future.
'Everything he'd done, everything he'd said. Everything he'd felt. A monster couldfeel love, he'd proved that. A monster could feel anything.'
Hmmmm, someone's forgotten that their true love said they *weren't* a monster, haven't they? Belle will have to give him a reminder crash course. -_^
'How she must laugh, seeing all her pawns wandering around like puppets, their minds hers to control! She must have taken especial pleasure with him, erasing his mind and his memories like a hyperactive child given an etch-a-sketch. '
Quite the image you've conjured up here! ^_^ Love how Gold was able to cry in the end- very symbolic of his own curse via Regina breaking in a sense. Can't wait for the next part!
(Sorry insanely long review is so insanely long!)
2/22/2012 c3 EditorIncredulous
Ooh. Ooh! C'est belle; tres, tres bien!
Your Rumpel has an absolutely delicious dichotomy here - the tender lover as opposed to the ruthless tyrant. Which one will rise ascendant...? At this point I'm guessing that Rumpel has discounted the dream as mere 'dream smoke,' still convinced that Belle is dead. His attitude of vengeance seems more fitting to the monster than the man, though his attachment to the cup is more man than monster. Beautiful image, that - his thumb pressed to the chip. One slip on that sharp edge and he's bleeding. Not that his heart isn't bleeding already.
Looking forward to your next installment with great eagerness.
-EI
Ooh. Ooh! C'est belle; tres, tres bien!
Your Rumpel has an absolutely delicious dichotomy here - the tender lover as opposed to the ruthless tyrant. Which one will rise ascendant...? At this point I'm guessing that Rumpel has discounted the dream as mere 'dream smoke,' still convinced that Belle is dead. His attitude of vengeance seems more fitting to the monster than the man, though his attachment to the cup is more man than monster. Beautiful image, that - his thumb pressed to the chip. One slip on that sharp edge and he's bleeding. Not that his heart isn't bleeding already.
Looking forward to your next installment with great eagerness.
-EI
2/22/2012 c2 EditorIncredulous
Mm. Wow. Exquisitely done as per usual, Roya. I really felt Rumpel's emotions, like I was the one experiencing them. He's a very real, a, dare I say it, very HUMAN character in your hands. And the depth of detail you put into your surroundings is incredible; I swear I was smelling damp earth and spring rain (and considering this is the middle of February, that's saying something...).
Your Regina/Queen and Gold/Rumpel dialogue (if dialogue it truly was - was it actually the queen visiting his dream or was that just a figment of his imagination?) was nothing short of pure brilliance. While reading, I suddenly got the mental image of them on a seesaw - when one is in control of the conversation, he/she has the Fairy Tale persona in ascendence, while the other drops back into the Storybrooke persona. And when the tables turn, the exact opposite is true. It's a subtle turn of phrase, sometimes as little as using one name versus another, but extremely well done. The tension that little switch-and-switch-alike creates is exquisite.
I've said it before, I'll say it again. Genius. Brava.
Mm. Wow. Exquisitely done as per usual, Roya. I really felt Rumpel's emotions, like I was the one experiencing them. He's a very real, a, dare I say it, very HUMAN character in your hands. And the depth of detail you put into your surroundings is incredible; I swear I was smelling damp earth and spring rain (and considering this is the middle of February, that's saying something...).
Your Regina/Queen and Gold/Rumpel dialogue (if dialogue it truly was - was it actually the queen visiting his dream or was that just a figment of his imagination?) was nothing short of pure brilliance. While reading, I suddenly got the mental image of them on a seesaw - when one is in control of the conversation, he/she has the Fairy Tale persona in ascendence, while the other drops back into the Storybrooke persona. And when the tables turn, the exact opposite is true. It's a subtle turn of phrase, sometimes as little as using one name versus another, but extremely well done. The tension that little switch-and-switch-alike creates is exquisite.
I've said it before, I'll say it again. Genius. Brava.