The Enchanted Forest

by fairytalelovr

What is really written in Henry's book? This is the story of the flashbacks, of what happened in the Enchanted Forest, before Regina cast the Dark Curse. Contains spoilers from the whole series and all characters.

1. Prologue

Once upon a time, in a world far, far away, ruled by magic and magical beings, there was the Enchanted Forest. Within this Forest, in one of its kingdoms, there lived a good man, named Rumpelstiltskin who had been abandoned by his father, who had been dubbed a coward. Trying to avoid the label given to his father, a man he barely knew, Rumpelstiltskin wanted to prove himself brave. He wanted to silence the people of his village. His opportunity presented itself when he was called to fight in the Ogre Wars, vicious battles that had been haunting the kingdom. His wife, Milah, was hesitant at first, but ambitious, she wanted the glory of being married to a war hero, and she let him go. He went and he fought.

However, in a wintry, snowy and very cold day, Rumpelstiltskin was tasked to watch over a prisoner. That prisoner was not simply any prisoner. She was a child. No more than six or seven years old, the little girl had her eyelids sewed and her eyes rested on her hands. She was a Seer. Capable of seeing all there was, all there is, and all there was going to be. And she told Rumpelstiltskin many things, including that Milah had borne him a son, and that his actions in the following day would leave that son fatherless. Rumple, as Milah and his adoptive family called him, didn't believe her at first, but then the day and the night went by and all her other predictions came through. Frightened that he would die the following day in the battlefield, without the chance to meet his son, who would then have the same destiny as his to grow up without a father, he injured himself, breaking his right leg beyond repair and was then sent home.

But news raveled fast from the battlefront and before he made it home, the whole village knew he had injured himself and his label as coward as cemented. But Rumple didn't care. All he cared about was his son. His precious son. And Rumple promised, in the very first time little Baelfire was in his father's arms, that he would never leave him. That he would not be fatherless. This is how this story begins, and how it will eventually end. The love of a father for his son, a love that grew uncontrollable and dangerous to an obsession. An obsession that, besides leaving Baelfire fatherless, would destroy uncountable lives in the way. Even those of Rumple's own family.