Season 10, Week 22
Jun. 25th, 2017 12:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rayasoTopic: “Trespassers William”
William Jones had never respected property lines, personal boundaries, or any other restriction in his long and eventful life. He was the ultimate trespasser, and he would go anywhere, say anything, or do whatever he wanted, the rest of the world be damned! It made him very unpopular, but a great fixer.
“Not a fixer – the Fixer,” he was known to snort. William was very particular about some things. It was William, never Bill, and especially not Willy. He was also sensitive about his height. “I’m undersized, not underpowered,” he would say.
He had always been thin, all angles and bones, while his formerly unruly hair and beard were now white and had been neatly trimmed for many years. He had a pointed nose and his eyebrows were always raised as if in astonishment, but disdain would be more accurate. He had grown careful about his appearance and now wore expensive suits, dark blue or gray, with a crisp white shirt and a precisely knotted tie.
William was a rarity – he worked free-lance. Most fixers were lawyers with prestigious firms, but not William. While they would discreetely clean up their clients’ personal problems, lawyers had a drawback – they obeyed the law. That was a line they wouldn’t cross.
William didn’t let the law or anything else get in the way, and he charged more than anyone else. While his rates were exorbitant, no one complained.
Sometimes, though, he didn’t charge at all. “Why work free-lance and not be free?” was his stock reply to the inevitable question. When working a free case, William sometimes thought of himself as the Robin Hood of fixers, and it made him feel good, at least for a while.
William never talked about himself and he wasn’t much of a conversationalist. “I help people, but I don’t like them,” he once told a particularly talkative client, offended when told to “get to the point or get out!”
No one knew anything about him, including how to contact him. If you were in trouble, and very, very lucky, William would just show up and offer you his services. No one had ever turned him away.
He had a weakness for helping children, and he would even attend Parent-Teacher conferences. A few words from William, and a teacher would work extra-hard with little Stevie, making sure he succeeded. There was never a second meeting.
If the situation interested him, William would help. Right or wrong, good or bad didn’t matter, but children seemed to be an exception. He once worked with a drug lord to resolve a territory dispute, provided she never sold to children again.
One day, William appeared at the door of Rebecca Miller’s house. Unseen by the Millers, over the years he had watched little Rebecca grow up. No real harm had threatened her, until now.
William could see Rebecca through a window, with her fair skin, luxurious blond hair, and sky-blue eyes, just like her mother.
William stood quietly on the doorstep, doubting the wisdom of what he was about to do. He always had a plan, and this bothered him. “What if I’m wrong?” he thought. His bad leg began to ache, so he finally knocked on the door with his cane.
“Who are you?” said Rebecca after opening it. She had never seen the strange little man before.
“You don’t know me,” he began. “You have a problem, and I’m here to fix it. I’m very good at what I do, and my services are free.”
Rebecca would never talk to a stranger, let alone invite one in, but there was something compelling about William.
Once inside, William looked around. It was a small house, but everything was neat and well-cared-for. Her parents worked in a bakery and while money was tight, they had always managed.
“Tell me about the baby,” said William.
An obviously pregnant Rebecca blushed, painfully aware of the absence of a wedding ring. For her, it mattered a great deal.
“It’s going to be a girl. She’s due in two months.” Rebecca felt compelled to add that the wedding would be in three weeks.
“There’s a problem with the baby’s father, isn’t there?” said William.
Rebecca wondered how William knew this, but he seemed oddly trustworthy.
“Yes. He won’t marry me unless I have a fancy wedding dress and we can’t afford one,” said Rebecca. “I know he’s no prince charming, but what can I do?”
William played with his cell phone for a few minutes, and then showed it to Rebecca. “Is this acceptable?” he asked.
“Oh yes,” said Rebecca. “It’s so beautiful! But I can’t afford it.”
“I said my services were free. The dress is taken care of,” said William. “But if you must pay me, give me your bracelet.”
Grateful, she handed it to him. Without another word, William left and quickly disappeared from view.
When Rebecca told her mother about William, her mother just smiled. The wedding dress was delivered the next day.
One week later, he returned. This time, Rebecca let him in without hesitation.
“The wedding dress will fit perfectly!” she said.
“But there’s still a problem, isn’t there?” said William.
“It’s my fiancé,” said Rebecca. She couldn’t look at William. “Now he says he won’t marry me unless my father pays him $10,000!”
“Problem solved,” said William, writing a check for the money. “You must take it,” he added. “Give me your earrings in return.” He then left as rapidly as before.
Standing in the doorway, Rebecca wondered why she had accepted the money, but she hadn’t been able to refuse. Once again, her mother smiled when she told her about William’s generosity.
A few days before the wedding, William visited a third time. He could see that she was still unhappy.
“Tell me your troubles,” he said. “I’m your fixer.”
In between great sobs, Rebecca told him what he already knew. She did not love her fiancé and he did not love her. There had been just one night, and then the baby. “I must marry him,” she said. “I won’t let my baby grow up without a father!”
“But your daughter must not grow up in a family without love,” William said gently, giving her a card. “I can fix this, but you must visit this address tomorrow morning.” And with that, he abruptly left, as usual.
The address was in a wooded area outside the city, down a long lane. There was a huge mansion with large park-like grounds, and scattered about Rebecca could see a slide, swing set, jungle gym, and other playthings, all being used by happy, noisy children.
William met Rebecca at the door, and took her inside. Some teddy bears were having a tea party in the dining room. He took her into the kitchen for some real tea and freshly baked cookies.
“My mother told me who you are,” said Rebecca. “It’s hard to believe, but I won’t say your real name.”
“It’s OK,” said William, “It’s always been OK. I would have told you soon myself, like I told your mother and those before her.”
“Are you really Rumpelstiltskin?” asked Rebecca.
“Yes, but I go by William now,” he said.
She still had trouble accepting the truth, but it explained so much about him.
“But what’s all this?” she said.
“These are some descendants of Elizabeth, your great-great-great-great grandmother, the one I spun straw into gold for, the one who married the King. They didn’t love each other either. The Grimm Brothers got everything wrong, as usual.
“I was a fixer of sorts back then, too. Elizabeth’s father was a silly man who told the King his daughter could spin straw into gold. The King was going to kill her if she didn’t do it, so I stepped in, and for a few of her trinkets I spun the gold. She was forced to marry the greedy King, who only wanted more gold. Later, after she became pregnant, I offered to help again. Elizabeth agreed to let me take the child and love it as my own, but later she changed her mind.
“Of course, I would never have forced Elizabeth to give up the baby. I’m a hobgoblin, not a monster. The Grimm Brothers made up most of that ridiculous story, including the part about guessing my name. I did stomp my foot through the floor in anger, but I was furious with the King over how he had been treating Elizabeth, and my leg has never been the same.
“I can’t have children,” said William, “and all I wanted was that baby girl to love and bring up as my own. It’s all I have ever wanted.”
“But these children here . . . ?” said Rebecca.
“Ever since, I have been following Elizabeth’s many descendants, taking in those who have needed my love. I can do the same for you.”
“But I love my baby!” said Rebecca.
“And I would never separate her from you,” said William. “But there are too many children here for me to take care of. I pay for everything through my work as a fixer, and now I’m the one who needs you. You do not love your fiancé and your life will be miserable. Live here with your baby and help me!”
Rebecca did not have to think long before agreeing. She could not marry a despicable man she did not love, and there were all these children who needed her. Still, it was an odd arrangement, and William was certainly an oddity himself.
But she knew that William would love her daughter as if she were his own, and they would all be very happy together. Everyone would live happily ever after, which is always the best ending, and maybe someday he would tell her what really happened between Cinderella and her Prince Charming.
* * * * * * * * * *
This is a link to the Grimms’ Rumpelstiltskin.
http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-25.html
THE FIXER
William Jones had never respected property lines, personal boundaries, or any other restriction in his long and eventful life. He was the ultimate trespasser, and he would go anywhere, say anything, or do whatever he wanted, the rest of the world be damned! It made him very unpopular, but a great fixer.
“Not a fixer – the Fixer,” he was known to snort. William was very particular about some things. It was William, never Bill, and especially not Willy. He was also sensitive about his height. “I’m undersized, not underpowered,” he would say.
He had always been thin, all angles and bones, while his formerly unruly hair and beard were now white and had been neatly trimmed for many years. He had a pointed nose and his eyebrows were always raised as if in astonishment, but disdain would be more accurate. He had grown careful about his appearance and now wore expensive suits, dark blue or gray, with a crisp white shirt and a precisely knotted tie.
William was a rarity – he worked free-lance. Most fixers were lawyers with prestigious firms, but not William. While they would discreetely clean up their clients’ personal problems, lawyers had a drawback – they obeyed the law. That was a line they wouldn’t cross.
William didn’t let the law or anything else get in the way, and he charged more than anyone else. While his rates were exorbitant, no one complained.
Sometimes, though, he didn’t charge at all. “Why work free-lance and not be free?” was his stock reply to the inevitable question. When working a free case, William sometimes thought of himself as the Robin Hood of fixers, and it made him feel good, at least for a while.
William never talked about himself and he wasn’t much of a conversationalist. “I help people, but I don’t like them,” he once told a particularly talkative client, offended when told to “get to the point or get out!”
No one knew anything about him, including how to contact him. If you were in trouble, and very, very lucky, William would just show up and offer you his services. No one had ever turned him away.
He had a weakness for helping children, and he would even attend Parent-Teacher conferences. A few words from William, and a teacher would work extra-hard with little Stevie, making sure he succeeded. There was never a second meeting.
If the situation interested him, William would help. Right or wrong, good or bad didn’t matter, but children seemed to be an exception. He once worked with a drug lord to resolve a territory dispute, provided she never sold to children again.
One day, William appeared at the door of Rebecca Miller’s house. Unseen by the Millers, over the years he had watched little Rebecca grow up. No real harm had threatened her, until now.
William could see Rebecca through a window, with her fair skin, luxurious blond hair, and sky-blue eyes, just like her mother.
William stood quietly on the doorstep, doubting the wisdom of what he was about to do. He always had a plan, and this bothered him. “What if I’m wrong?” he thought. His bad leg began to ache, so he finally knocked on the door with his cane.
“Who are you?” said Rebecca after opening it. She had never seen the strange little man before.
“You don’t know me,” he began. “You have a problem, and I’m here to fix it. I’m very good at what I do, and my services are free.”
Rebecca would never talk to a stranger, let alone invite one in, but there was something compelling about William.
Once inside, William looked around. It was a small house, but everything was neat and well-cared-for. Her parents worked in a bakery and while money was tight, they had always managed.
“Tell me about the baby,” said William.
An obviously pregnant Rebecca blushed, painfully aware of the absence of a wedding ring. For her, it mattered a great deal.
“It’s going to be a girl. She’s due in two months.” Rebecca felt compelled to add that the wedding would be in three weeks.
“There’s a problem with the baby’s father, isn’t there?” said William.
Rebecca wondered how William knew this, but he seemed oddly trustworthy.
“Yes. He won’t marry me unless I have a fancy wedding dress and we can’t afford one,” said Rebecca. “I know he’s no prince charming, but what can I do?”
William played with his cell phone for a few minutes, and then showed it to Rebecca. “Is this acceptable?” he asked.
“Oh yes,” said Rebecca. “It’s so beautiful! But I can’t afford it.”
“I said my services were free. The dress is taken care of,” said William. “But if you must pay me, give me your bracelet.”
Grateful, she handed it to him. Without another word, William left and quickly disappeared from view.
When Rebecca told her mother about William, her mother just smiled. The wedding dress was delivered the next day.
One week later, he returned. This time, Rebecca let him in without hesitation.
“The wedding dress will fit perfectly!” she said.
“But there’s still a problem, isn’t there?” said William.
“It’s my fiancé,” said Rebecca. She couldn’t look at William. “Now he says he won’t marry me unless my father pays him $10,000!”
“Problem solved,” said William, writing a check for the money. “You must take it,” he added. “Give me your earrings in return.” He then left as rapidly as before.
Standing in the doorway, Rebecca wondered why she had accepted the money, but she hadn’t been able to refuse. Once again, her mother smiled when she told her about William’s generosity.
A few days before the wedding, William visited a third time. He could see that she was still unhappy.
“Tell me your troubles,” he said. “I’m your fixer.”
In between great sobs, Rebecca told him what he already knew. She did not love her fiancé and he did not love her. There had been just one night, and then the baby. “I must marry him,” she said. “I won’t let my baby grow up without a father!”
“But your daughter must not grow up in a family without love,” William said gently, giving her a card. “I can fix this, but you must visit this address tomorrow morning.” And with that, he abruptly left, as usual.
The address was in a wooded area outside the city, down a long lane. There was a huge mansion with large park-like grounds, and scattered about Rebecca could see a slide, swing set, jungle gym, and other playthings, all being used by happy, noisy children.
William met Rebecca at the door, and took her inside. Some teddy bears were having a tea party in the dining room. He took her into the kitchen for some real tea and freshly baked cookies.
“My mother told me who you are,” said Rebecca. “It’s hard to believe, but I won’t say your real name.”
“It’s OK,” said William, “It’s always been OK. I would have told you soon myself, like I told your mother and those before her.”
“Are you really Rumpelstiltskin?” asked Rebecca.
“Yes, but I go by William now,” he said.
She still had trouble accepting the truth, but it explained so much about him.
“But what’s all this?” she said.
“These are some descendants of Elizabeth, your great-great-great-great grandmother, the one I spun straw into gold for, the one who married the King. They didn’t love each other either. The Grimm Brothers got everything wrong, as usual.
“I was a fixer of sorts back then, too. Elizabeth’s father was a silly man who told the King his daughter could spin straw into gold. The King was going to kill her if she didn’t do it, so I stepped in, and for a few of her trinkets I spun the gold. She was forced to marry the greedy King, who only wanted more gold. Later, after she became pregnant, I offered to help again. Elizabeth agreed to let me take the child and love it as my own, but later she changed her mind.
“Of course, I would never have forced Elizabeth to give up the baby. I’m a hobgoblin, not a monster. The Grimm Brothers made up most of that ridiculous story, including the part about guessing my name. I did stomp my foot through the floor in anger, but I was furious with the King over how he had been treating Elizabeth, and my leg has never been the same.
“I can’t have children,” said William, “and all I wanted was that baby girl to love and bring up as my own. It’s all I have ever wanted.”
“But these children here . . . ?” said Rebecca.
“Ever since, I have been following Elizabeth’s many descendants, taking in those who have needed my love. I can do the same for you.”
“But I love my baby!” said Rebecca.
“And I would never separate her from you,” said William. “But there are too many children here for me to take care of. I pay for everything through my work as a fixer, and now I’m the one who needs you. You do not love your fiancé and your life will be miserable. Live here with your baby and help me!”
Rebecca did not have to think long before agreeing. She could not marry a despicable man she did not love, and there were all these children who needed her. Still, it was an odd arrangement, and William was certainly an oddity himself.
But she knew that William would love her daughter as if she were his own, and they would all be very happy together. Everyone would live happily ever after, which is always the best ending, and maybe someday he would tell her what really happened between Cinderella and her Prince Charming.
* * * * * * * * * *
This is a link to the Grimms’ Rumpelstiltskin.
http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-25.html
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Date: 2017-06-26 07:06 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2017-06-27 01:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-06-28 12:17 am (UTC)“I help people, but I don’t like them,”
Fair enough. I expect most of the people he helps were put into trouble by some other human, or did it to themselves. He must encounter a lot of ninnies...
I’m a hobgoblin, not a monster.
Hahahaha! That IS what he looks like. Hobgoblins aren't as popular in literature or elsewhere as they used to be.
A nice happy ending for everyone, especially the children!
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Date: 2017-06-28 01:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-06-29 08:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-06-29 08:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-06-29 09:24 pm (UTC)Kidding! (Oh, I wish I wasn't,)
You have taken the longtime badguy and turned him into a wonderful hero and rescuer of children. An absolutely wonderful read! I enjoyed every single word!
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Date: 2017-06-29 09:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-06-29 10:31 pm (UTC)I imagine they would delight in this tale as well.
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Date: 2017-06-30 12:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-06-30 12:41 am (UTC)