The new creature- ‘that other one’- did not step from the shadows as the bargainer did. No, it coalesced from the rising frost-steam, swirling denser and denser until it stood before me, head cocked curiously to one side.
“It needs help?” the creature asked, voice sympathetic. It looked exactly like the first creature, except where that one was pitch-black with glowing green eyes, this one was gray as fine ash, with dark blue eyes that squinted in the sunlight. It might have been lovely, if I hadn’t known its nature.
“I do need help,” I said, playing nervously with my woven-gold wedding band. “My- my friends told me you might be able to help me.”
“Did its friends tell it that one always requires a price?”
“They did not have to,” I said, hand moving to wear my mother’s necklace had once hung.
The creature’s mouth split into a grin and it sat back on its haunches. “Good. One does not like to deal with dullards.”
“It’s just… I’m afraid you might not be able to give me what I need…” I said doubtfully.
“Let one be the judge of that,” it snapped, then relaxed. “One can do many things- more wonderful and impossible than it could possibly imagine- so long as it can pay for them.”
“It’s not your abilities I doubt,” I said quickly. “What I need does not come down to skill, but rather knowledge.”
“One knows more things than it could possibly imagine,” the creature huffed. “One is very clever, indeed.”
“It’s just… I need to know a secret. A secret no mortal knows…”
“One is not mortal,” it said, waving a clawed hand airly.
“No, of course not,” I said. “Which is why I hoped, maybe, you could tell me…”
“Yes?” the creature leaned forward, eager.
“I need to know... a name.”
The creature’s eyes narrowed. “A name,” it hissed. “It does not ask for a small secret, no no. But one knows many things. And one knows many names.” It glanced sharply at the lump of my daughter beneath my shawl. “But a name is a precious thing, indeed. Can it pay for such a precious thing?”
I narrowed my eyes in return. “You’ll not have my daughter,” I said. “She’s the reason I need the name, for she’s no longer mine to give.”
The creature considered this. “What is yours to give?”
“I can give you beautiful jeweled necklaces.” I said. The creature yawned. “I can give you a blanket woven of spun gold,” The creature snorted and began deliberately inspecting its tail. I made my voice desperate. “I’m a very wealthy woman- my husband is king of this entire land and he loves me more than life itself- he’d give me anything I asked for, which means I can give you anything you ask for! Just name your price!”
“One has no use for it’s baubles, no use for it’s shining gold,” the creature said. “A name is a life. You must give a life for a life.”
“I’ve already told you- you can’t have my daughter,” I said, fear heavy in my voice. “But if it’s my life you want-”
“Not it’s life, no,” the creature said. “It’s life, freely given, means little to one. By rights it should give its firstborn, but if it cannot-”
“I cannot. And I cannot give any others that might come after, for they are promised, as well.”
The creature looked annoyed, and I was afraid it might decide to leave. But instead it closed its eyes and steepled its fingers in contemplation. “Let one think- one is very clever. One can surely come up with a bargain that will suit all parties.. The girl-child is two-blooded. It’s blood, and it’s mate’s blood. Blood is life. Blood. Other blood. Yes yes, the other blood...” The eyes snapped open and fixed mine.
I covered my wedding band with my other hand. “What- what do you mean?”
The creature slithered up next to me. “It cannot give the girl-child, and one does not care for it’s life. But the other blood- ah, the other blood…”
“Tell me what you mean!” I said shrilly.
“One will exchange a name for the other blood.”
“You want… my husband?” my voice broke as I said it.
“Yes yes,” it said. “Yes yes, it must choose. Child or mate, mate or child. Lose one to save the other, yes yes.”
I let the thought roll over me- the thought of living the rest of my life with my mad husband, without my daughter, knowing that I might have saved her. I gave a cry of anguish and buried my face in my hands, the tears flowing hot and fast.
“Yes yes,” it hissed. “Yes yes, this is the price one claims.”
“I can’t, I can’t,” I sobbed, shaking my ehad.
“Then there is no bargain,” it said.
“Please,” I said, looking up from my hands. “Does it have to be... him? Not- not my father? Or… or…”
The creature shook its head. “Only its mate will do.”
At that moment my daughter, as sleeping infants will, gave a stretch and a little cry. I could have kissed her for her timing. Instead I stared at her, looking as stricken as possible.
“Will it hurt him?” I whispered.
“It’s mate will be gone in an instant,” the creature answered. Or, rather, evaded.
“It has to be the right name,” I insisted. “If you don’t know the name, there is no bargain. You can’t just give me any name.”
“Of course not,” it sounded insulted. “One knows how the old magic works. One will give it the very name it wants, in exchange for the right to take the other blood.”
I took a deep, shuddering breath. “You- you have a bargain. My husband for the name of the creature who is your dark twin, who spun rooms full of straw into gold at my behest.”
The creature’s eyes widened when I revealed what name I needed, but the magic was already rippling out across the two of us. I imagined the king, hundreds of miles away, feeling a strange shiver go down his neck, and I hid a vicious, victorious smile.
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