An empty hand, another failed attempt
The room was scattered with trinkets all over the floor as Rumpelstiltskin began staring at the portrait of Baelfire, once again the vision of his son's sinking further into the green portal with the last words of "you coward" began to plague his mind; regretting not going into the portal while the chance had been given. Months of after losing Bae, Rumpelstiltskin continue to play the "what if" scenario though his head in climbing into the portal rather than backing out of his deal within the last minute. This most recent attempt had been a sure way in the hopes of finding the land without magic with an item thought to have been extinct in their land, only to be taken because of a gross miscalculation.
What made this attempt even worse was that it had left him with the satisfaction just hours earlier knowing he was able to finally end the life of the woman who had all but destroyed his life.
Because I never loved you
These were the words Milah could say to him regarding her only justification in making their son grow up with a mother. He believed she was kidnapped, raped and murdered by pirates where his own cowardice left him incapable of claiming her back. Seeing the pirate the previous day left him with a satisfying taste of revenge but the shock of Milah not only being alive but wilfully left him made his quest for Baelfire all the more urgent. It would have been a lie to say Rumpelstiltskin did not enjoy crushing Milah's heart in front of her pirate, watching them humiliated in the same way as they had towards him.
To have made the revenge complete would have meant having the bean and heading towards the new land. Even in death, Milah still managed to cheat him; having the audacity to appear as the victim after admitting she was just as guilty as he was in abandoning their son.
Revenge is no longer a priority for him, Milah was now dead and the pirate would be dead in the not too distant future in some far off land during a drunken fight yet there was no longer another method to find a magic bean in this land.
The only option left to use was a curse the Blue Fairy let it briefly slip that night. Although the curse would take many years to produce, no matter since the Dark One had all the time in the world.
Starring at the portrait again, Rumpelstiltskin began caressing its face shedding a few tears over the memory of his lost son.
One day Bae, I will continue to find a way for as long as it takes.
Rumpstiltslkin's thoughts break away as the door began knocking louder by the second already fuelling his anger as opened the door, already deciding whoever disturbed him into a either a snail or perhaps something far amusing
Let them think twice for disturbing the Dark One, ready to use his magic on the guest left him with a shock seeing a figure with a dark grey hood walking in past him, tilting their head down as to cover their face leaving the Rumpelstiltskin somewhat perplexed and annoyed.
"Reveal yourself dearie, it's not nice to walk into other people's houses without an invitation" being as high pitched as possible as to give the figure a fright not knowing whether it's a dream he might be in.
The figure raised their face up taking off the cloak to reveal a young girl in her late teens to early twenties. She had dark chestnut curled hair pulled up in a braid, pale skin contrasting to blushed cheeks and rosy lips. What made this girl even more mesmerizing was that she possessed the brightest, blue eyes Rumpelstiltskin had ever laid eyes upon, making him question his own sanity as what appeared before was practically an angel with leather trousers in knee high boots giving her the appearance of a taller woman, wearing a white peasant blouse covered by a dark blue corset. She walked closer to him began inspecting Rumpelstiltskin in a curious matter rather than fright making him completely unease.
"An honour to have an audience with the Dark One, there is not one patch of land I have been on where your reputation has not been touched". The girl came off with a confident demeanour one would not see when speaking to the Dark One even as far to move the portrait of Baelfire from its spot to sit on the table looking directly at him.
"Flattery will get you nowhere dearie, now you have ten seconds to tell me what you are doing here or I will not be so merciful." Already having his patience reach his limit at the mere audacity of such a girl, murdering her would not be as fun as he had hoped. He thought perhaps turning her in to a pet like a cat or a mouse would be a much entertaining thought since she had the air of a pampered princess.
"It's understandable you would not recognize who I am. I was only a child when we first met; my name is Lacey and I have a proposition for you which I am sure you will want to hear.
Walking towards her, the pair stared each other in the eye each trying to understand what the other's next move was. Lacey then took out a blue purse from her belt opening it to show him a worn set of wool gloves with an embroidered rose on the side of right palm.
Rumpelstiltskin took the gloves noticing the embroidery immediately recognising the circumstances in which he gave the gloves to the owner standing in front of him.
"Why should I listen to a mere wench whose hands are shaking?" already trying her best not to be bested in a losing battle towards the Dark One, Lacey gave a small breathe in order to make her request hoping she would not be dead before finishing.
"Because I can help you find your son"