Tale As Old As Time || Disney AU || Clara & Eleven
Clara had thought that with burying her father, she might have had a little time to recover. She was wrong. The collector had come for the money that was due like he always did, and she had pleaded for him to give her a few days. All the money that her father had for the payment had been used burying him, and she did not have enough to make the payment that her father made every month that allowed them to live there in that house. The collector had gone, but he came back with men to seize everything. She was only granted a few spare coins, a few dresses, the old sick horse in the yard, and her mother's locket which was the only thing she possessed that meant anything to her.
The house and everything else had been taken, and it turned out to be not enough to pay the debt that her parents had acquired. It meant that she could not leave until the debt was paid or she would be charged. She had no idea what the debt had been for nor did she have any means to pay for it. What the men had done was tell her if she didn't have things sorted out by the morning, she would be taken. Even she knew that it was a fight she could not win. Clara tried to search for a job with the hopefulness that perhaps she could get some money to pay them off a little and give them more later, but no place seemed to want her. At a tavern that Clara surely thought she could work at, they declined her. It was dark by the time Clara realized what her only option was left. She had to talk to the thing that the debt was owed to.
She had only heard whispers about the monster that lived in the old, stone house near the woods. No one had ever seen the monster's face so all the rumors were just rumors. Some described him as a dragon, some with dark fur and large yellow teeth, and others as a creature that hid in the showers with red eyes staring back. As she led the blind horse down the path, the wind picked up, blowing her cloak out and her hood up making her hair go in her face. Storm clouds rolled in slowly, lightening lighting up the area in quick bursts and thunder booming hard enough to feel it resonating in her bones. Her horse spooked several times and it only slowly caused her fear to build.
The large house itself looked almost desolate. She didn't know how someone could live here, but then she corrected herself that whatever lived her was a monster. This was her only option left. She couldn't make a plea to the collector so perhaps a plea to person it was owed to would work. She was about to tie her horse up when the thunder cracked and he was spooked again, rising up on his hind legs. She had to move out of his way to make sure she wasn't hit, falling down on the ground as a gust of wind brought some rain her way. Just a tiny sprinkle, which meant the rain was coming soon. The horse bolted away from her, and she was like that, Clara was at the mercy of the monster.
She tried to pull up her hood, but fighting the wind was a futile attempt and she gave up quickly. She walked over to the wood doors, carved beautifully, and stared at the knocker. Her heart drummed hard against her chest and she found herself reaching up to touch the locket clasped around her neck for comfort. Without another thought (since she was sure in a moment she'd turn and run), she grabbed the knocker and banged it against the door three times.
It seemed ridiculously loud compared to the storm brewing above her.
There was no immediate answer nor did she expect one. She tried to huddle herself in her cloak, but again it was a futile attempt. She stood there for what seemed like an eternity. For all she knew, the monster could have gone somewhere else. It could live in the forest and the house was just a silly rumor she had heard. Her eyes closed and she tried not let the feeling of hopelessness wash over her. There was always a way. She had always believed that, but now she couldn't seem to find one. A single tear found its way out and it slid slowly down her cheek. She was just about to turn around and leave when she there was a sound behind the door, and then as her eyes flew open, so did the door.