Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. I welcome comments and constructive criticism but you know how the saying goes: if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all. Also, this is my first story so please go easy on me.

This was inspired by Snapegirlkmf's story A Dance in Winter. Snapegirlkmf writes really good stories so be sure and check them out.


The Blue Age Prologue

The woman sat on the floor of her new house, or more appropriately hovel. This was the place she had promised herself she would never end up, but that had been before she had realized that she would have a beautiful baby girl with the same curse that afflicted her mother. Being here was definitely worth it, if it meant her child would not be forced into this horrible life.

Magic was not taken lightly in this land. She had been cursed with it ever since she could remember, but she had been able to keep it hidden. Not even her husband had known that she was a witch. She had thought it would never be discovered. But unfortunately her child had displayed magic only a few days after she was born. While she was grateful that the newborn had transported herself into her mother's arms when a maid dropped her instead of falling on the ground and dying, she was not happy about others knowing. She had been able to make it look like she had done the magic instead, which was a blessing. As long as nothing else happened, her child could lead a normal life.

The woman fiddled with the collar that was fastened around her neck. It prevented her from using magic and she knew that it would never come off her neck as long as she lived. Not that it mattered, her baby was safe. Later thinking back on this moment she would wonder at fate's cruel sense of humor because just then she heard a familiar crying. "Regina!" she yelled as she ran out the door to see some soldiers holding her now collared little one. One of the men deposited her daughter in her arms and gave her a smirk.

"Looks like being evil can be passed down Cora," he said. "That thing was so upset when you left, it threw a tantrum; a magical one."

They left as Cora went into the slave house with her little girl. She was mad at the way that man had talked about Regina, but she felt happy that the little girl loved her enough to use magic to show her sadness when her mother left. Regina had settled down in her arms and was looking up sweetly at Cora. Tears began to slide down Cora's cheeks as she looked at this precious gift. "We may be in the worst place possible," she cooed to the little one, "but at least we have each other."


Years later

Charming dashed through the castle, scared out of his mind. Snow's scream had come from the playroom. He didn't know what he would do if he lost the two most important people in his life. He got to the door, barely stopping long enough to fling it open with his left hand (since his right was obviously gripping his sword). Emma giggled as she saw her father rush in. "Are you going to teach me?" the toddler questioned, looking longingly at his sword.

Startled, Charming looked over at Snow. "What happened?"

"I didn't want to go take a nap," Emma declared, arms crossed defiantly. Charming stared at her in confusion. Why would that cause Snow to scream?

"I was telling Emma it was about time to go to her room for a nap," Snow began. "She was being stubborn as usual so …"

"I'm not stubborn!" Emma interrupted. That's when Charming realized that his little girl definitely needed a nap soon. She was getting pretty grumpy, so much so that he jokingly wondered to himself if she would turn into a dwarf.

Snow ignored the interruption. "I went to pick her up, but she teleported across the room," Snow informed him, giving him a meaningful look. Fear struck Charming as he realized the importance of this. If the LeGumes found out... no, the LeGumes would surely not be allowed to figure out that his child had magic. He would not let something that bad happen to Emma.

"I'll send a letter saying we can't make it to the annual ball this year," Charming stated. Snow nodded and he left to write the letter. Their lives had just gotten extremely complicated.


Years later

Milah and Killian boarded his ship, laughing over the contraband they had just stolen. They were so absorbed with each other that neither one of them immediately noticed Mr. Smee's failure to respond to the Captain's order to cast off. But after a minute of not hearing the feet of his crew scampering around to get the ship ready to go, Killian looked away from his wife. He immediately held her closer and drew his sword as he realized that some of LeGume's knights were on board.

Pendule LeGume came forward, smirking at the pirate. "I wasn't about to let some scurvy dog steal from my country. Oh, and your crew all agreed to join me under the pain of death. Aren't they just so brave and loyal?"

"You may have convinced my crew to join you, but I never will!" he declared. He felt Milah step away from him and looked over as she drew her sword.

"I wouldn't join you either!" she declared. Then she spoke in a lower voice to him. "You take Pendule, I'll take the knights.

"I couldn't agree more," Killian responded. The two of them began to fight with a skill that was worthy of many lengthy ballads. However, Pendule was able to corner Killian. He got in close so he could use a knife and didn't have to worry (as much) about Killian's sword. Pendule slashed at his arms repeatedly, but Killian managed to dodge. That is, he managed to dodge the first of Pendule's attacks. Finally one hit and Killian cried in pain, grasping at where his left hand used to be.

Pendule stood over him, laughing. "Now, pirate, you shall meet your end." If Milah hadn't yelled an angry battle cry they would have been done with the LeGume that day. As it was Pendule had to jump overboard to avoid being killed. Milah knelt next to her love and the rest of the crew, now free from the knights, quickly set about getting the ship away from this country.

"Don't worry," Milah told Killian as she started to tend to his wounds. "We will make them pay for this." That was the day the two pirates knew they would stop at nothing to bring down the LeGumes.


Years later

Rumpelstiltskin watched the soldiers instructing the boys from his hiding place with a rather large amount of disgust. It wasn't fair that they should keep forcing children to fight their war. It seemed to him that the nobles enjoyed watching the people suffer. Gaston LeGume was around the same age as Bae, but the spinner highly doubted that he would be called upon to fight.

His thoughts turned from how they refused to get involved personally to how he was sure they could help the war without any real cost to themselves. Didn't the royals have magical slaves? Why didn't they use the wizards to end the ogre wars? This is what convinced him that those in power enjoyed watching their people struggle. He supposed that they might not want to allow the sorcerers to do killing magic from the fear that they may turn that same magic on their masters, but it still didn't make sense to him. They had the power to save countless lives, why did they choose not to?

He shrunk back into the bushes as two of the commanding officers walked by. "We will have to ship this batch off to the front lines soon."

"But we've only been training them for a few weeks!"

"I know, but we don't have a choice. Besides, they won't be fighting." The man glanced around as though afraid of being overheard and pulled his comrade in closer. Rumpelstiltskin had to lean forward to catch what he said. "We have talked to the ogre king, and he said if we give him some boys he will leave the country alone."

"What will happen to them?"

"I don't know. And really, what does it matter? We'll be safe."

At the price of our children's blood Rumpelstiltskin thought as the men turned and walked away. He couldn't let this happen. He had to do something. He had to talk to the ogre king.


"Papa," Bae called out as he entered his home. He looked around, confused at not finding his father in their house. He had snuck away from the soldier camp to tell his father he would be leaving for the front in the morning. He had gone to all that trouble and his father wasn't even there. He turned to go when a slip of paper on the table caught his eye.

Balefire frowned as he walked to the table. Papa had always said paper was a luxury that they couldn't afford. He picked up the paper, wondering what had caused his father to buy the precious commodity.

Dear Bae,

I figured you would come by to see me before your battalion left. I knew you were leaving because I was spying on you. Yes, I know you're mad at me, but I overheard something important. You and the other boys are going to be nothing more than sacrifices to the ogres. I couldn't let that happen, so I'm off to stop it. I love you Bae.

From your Papa

Bae stood there in shock. It wasn't that he was surprised that the town coward was being brave because he didn't think of his papa that way. It was because the soldiers had lied to him and the other boys and it was because of the thought that he might never see his father again. "Be careful, Papa."


Fear punched him hard in the face and Rumpelstiltskin took a step back, staring at the huge ogre camp. In all likelihood, he would be ripped to shreds before he got anywhere close to the ogre king. That wasn't going to stop him. He was a coward, but the thing he was afraid of most was losing his son. He could face death if it meant that his son might be spared.

"I wouldn't go down there," a voice said, causing Rumpelstiltskin to spin around. A noble stood there with several knights. "It's not exactly safe."

"I have to," the spinner told the other man. "This madness must stop. If it doesn't, I will lose my son."

"Your son is one of the boys that are going to be sacrificed, isn't he?" the noble asked. Rumpelstiltskin's angry glare provided the answer. "Then it isn't the ogres you need to be talking to, it's me."

Rumpelstiltskin may have been a coward, but he was no fool. He saw the way the men were smirking to each other and it had just occurred to him that these men were way too close to the ogre camp to be feeling this comfortable. "You are controlling the ogres," he stated.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were born noble. Your intelligence is remarkable." Rumpelstiltskin could tell it was meant as a compliment, but he took offense at it. He hated the way the other man thought nobles were better than everyone else.

"Why are you doing this?" the spinner asked. He found it hard to come up with a reason to kill all those innocent peasants.

"The LeGumes have taken my son."

"You mean your son is the kid that wanted magic," Rumpelstiltskin guessed. Everyone had heard of the foolish boy who had been so enthralled with magic that he had done a ceremony with a wizard. It was a ceremony that had transferred the magic from the man to the boy, and the imprisonment with it.

"They won't give him back to me, so I've done the only thing I can do. Take revenge."

"But this isn't hurting the LeGumes!" the spinner yelled, his voice getting louder with desperation. "This is hurting the people!"

"What do I care? It is the only way I can get any kind of comfort. And anyways, what do you think you can do to stop this, cripple?"

"I will do the ceremony with your son," Rumpelstiltskin replied, tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. He would probably never see Bae again. But this was the only way to save him. "Just promise me that no one else will be killed."

The noble grinned at him, making the spinner shy away from the the cold look. "We have a deal."


Bae had been shocked when the war had been declared over and he had been sent home. He was still wondering if his father had anything to do with their early return home. The emptiness of his home seemed to indicate that his father had managed to do something, but all this had him worried sick. He just wanted his papa back.

"Hello, Balefire." The boy turned around and was startled to find a fairy. And it wasn't just any fairy, it was the Blue Fairy. "I just wanted to let you know that your father lied to you. It pains me to say this but you had to know."

"I don't believe you," Bae told her. He knew fairies were supposed to help people, but he knew how much his father loved him. He would never leave.

"Your father was going to be drafted. He knew this and so he ran. He left you that note so you would not think him a coward."

"No!" Bae shouted, refusing to believe. "Leave, you liar!" he told her. She hesitated to leave, but she saw the anger in his eyes and left with a sigh. "I will find my papa!" he yelled after her. He collapsed to the ground then, tears streaming down his cheeks. Then he said softly, "I will find my papa."


Regina heard the footsteps of several men outside the doorway and sighed. The boy had gotten himself in trouble … again. She really wished that the slaves that served Gaston and his sister, Claire, didn't have to share a hovel because the boy was ridiculous. Who in their right minds would give up their freedom? To do that just because you were intrigued by magic made you the most foolish person in the Enchanted Forest. And it didn't help that the boy was a selfish brat.

"This is where you will live," one of the soldiers said rather roughly as he swung the door open. She was quite shocked to see a man instead of the boy, with a too familiar collar around his neck. He had most of his weight on his left foot and was clutching tightly to a staff. His right foot is crippled she realized. "She will explain everything else to you," the guard informed the man before all of the soldiers left.

He looked at her for a moment before he took a tentative step into the house they would now share. "I'm Rumpelstiltskin," he told her, holding out his hand so they could shake hands in introduction.

Regina refused to hold out her hand and Rumpelstiltskin let his fall back to his side in confusion. "Why did you trade spots with the boy?" she asked him coldly. He opened his mouth to say something but she keep going. "You are an idiot! What did you think you could do with magic? Heal that leg of yours? Well, looks like that plan failed!"

Rumpelstiltskin stared at the woman he was going to be living with in shock. She was obviously very angry, but he had no idea why. She was assuming things about him, so he realized he had to tell her his story before she got violent or something. "I didn't do this for me," he told her. She gave him an incredulous look but he continued. "I made a deal with someone; he would spare the lives of several children if I took the place of his son."

Regina stared at the soft-spoken man before her and internally kicked herself. That's what you get for jumping to conclusions. "Sorry," she said as she held out her hand. "I'm Regina."

He gave her a small smile as he reached out and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you Regina," he said and she could tell he meant it. He was going to make a much better roommate than that entitled boy.


Years later

He watched her from his hiding spot. He was beginning to have trouble not laughing as she "snuck" aboard his ship. Okay, his dad's ship. But either way, she was doing a horrible job at being unseen. In reality he knew she was better at this than most people, but he was better than her. In fact, he was the best sneak on the ship. That was why the other teenager didn't hear him coming until he spoke from right behind her. "What are you doing?"

She spun around in shock and had a sword out and pointed at him. Her beautiful hazel eyes caught him off guard but her golden hair didn't (even if that was because he had already gotten used to it from watching her from afar). He held his own sword up in defense as he watched the girl. "I came to take down this pirate ship," she told him, watching to see his reaction.

"What do you have against pirates that only steal from the LeGumes?" he asked her, hoping that she just hadn't realized they were the pirate ship that worked with Snow White and King Charming. He really wished the two of them could become friends.

"Oh, you're that pirate ship." She relaxed as she sheathed her sword. "Sorry."

"That's okay," he responded as he sheathed his own sword. "My name is Bae."

"I'm Emma."


Years later

"Absolutely not!" Charming yelled and was rather relieved to see that Milah seemed to agree with him. Snow looked as if she was in shock, but Hook looked as though he was going to argue his thought.

"He really loves her, and she wants to be with him," Hook spoke. "Who are we to keep them apart?" He looked at Milah at his last question, hoping she would see where he was coming from. After all, she had left her former husband to be with him. Who were they to tell Bae he couldn't marry who he wanted to?

"I'm not trying to keep them apart!" Charming yelled, defending his position. "I would just prefer that our children were a little older than seventeen before they married!"

"But they are in love and have been for years," Hook argued again. "Besides, plenty of people are marrying at the age of seventeen these days."

"Not our daughter!" Charming yelled again.

"Hook has a point," Snow stated. Charming turned around to her and opened his mouth, ready to dispute her. But Snow kept going before he could interrupt. "Our children have true love. I know this for sure because Emma showed me a true love potion she was able to make with a strand of hair from each of their heads. Charming, if we had met at that age and knew we had true love, wouldn't we have wanted to marry, too?"

Charming sighed as he looked around the room. He realized everyone had come to the same decision, even if some had come to it more reluctantly than others. "I will await Bae's request."


A little more than nine months later

"I can't have this baby!" Emma cried to Bae as she lay on the bed with labor pains. "Not here!"

"Well, it looks like he's coming whether we want him to or not." And sure enough, a few long and hard hours later, the baby had come. "Well, what should we name him?" Bae asked his exhausted eighteen-yea- old wife.

"Is Neal okay with you?" Emma asked. Bae nodded in agreement and she decided to explain why she liked that name. "It was the first name that popped into my head when I saw you."

Bae smiled at her. "You rest up now, because we are leaving the country in the morning, just in case." Emma knew exactly what he meant. They had to leave LeGume territory as soon as possible just in case her son had the same powers she did and decided to use them. In fact, she wanted to leave right then and there, but she was too tired to argue with Bae. Maybe she did need some rest before they left. The young couple never realized that they would come to regret the decision.


Rumpelstiltskin sunk back into the shadows as the door right next to him slammed open. A maid ran out. He had expected to see a scared or sad expression on her face, but instead she seemed oddly happy. A man ran out after her, and he looked terrified. "Get back here!" the man yelled, and Rumpelstiltskin froze completely in shock upon hearing the familiar voice.

"Bae," he whispered as he watched the son he had been separated from for years run around the corner. He had grown so much. Rumpelstiltskin had never been more frustrated with his bad leg as he realized he would not be able to catch up to his son. Trying to figure out what was going on; he peeked into the room his boy had just vacated.

"Why did you have to teleport the teddy bear to you?" the girl in the room spoke to a little baby. "Your daddy was about to get it for you." Rumpelstiltskin's heart stopped beating as he realized Bae was married. Bae had a child. He had a grandson. And his grandson was a known magician. They were going to collar the boy.

Almost without thinking Rumpelstiltskin took a robe out of the basket of laundry he had been carrying. He swung it on and leaving his staff and the basket outside, he took slow deliberate steps into the room. The girl looked up and clutched her baby closer in fright. "Who are you?" she asked the mysterious hooded figure.

"I am an imp," he made up quickly, trying to think of a way to get her to hand over the boy. "I protect humans that use magic. Unfortunately, I cannot save them all; it is too great a task for one. Your son is destined to help save all the wizards. Let me take him, to save him."

Emma began to cry silently as she looked down at her son. She looked back up at the cloaked figure and asked, "Will I ever see him again?"

Rumpelstiltskin felt his own face get moist and he had to struggle to keep his voice from hitching. "I hope so. I really hope so."

Emma nodded silently as she looked back down at her baby. "I love you, son," she said before giving him a tear-stained kiss on the forehead. "Don't worry," she told the child as he started to fidget. "Our family has a knack for finding each other. I will find you again."

That's when she slipped the boy into Rumpelstiltskin's arms. The baby stirred a little but then quieted. Rumpelstiltskin looked back up at the mother and saw she was doing whatever she could to keep her composure. He had wanted to say something else to try and comfort her, but now he found no words to say. And besides that, he knew if he tried to say anything he would break down crying. So instead he turned and walked to the door.

"Thank you," she whispered and he paused at the door way. He knew that she must be torn between sorrow at losing her son and gratefulness for his safety. Again he wished he could say something, but he still lacked words so he closed the door. He heard her begin to sob as her heart split in two over the loss of her son, but all he could do was hide the boy in the laundry basket with the cloak he had be wearing laying on top of the boy, pick up his staff, and walk as quickly as he could back to his hovel.


Regina had just finish making dinner for Rumpelstiltskin and herself when she heard the familiar tap of his staff. She smiled softly, glad that her best friend was back. However, her smile quickly turned to a frown as she realized he was going faster than she had ever heard him go before. He swung open the door and she registered the fact that he must have used his staff to do in because in his other hand he held a basket.

"What's wrong?" she asked him as he came into the house, knocking the door closed with his staff. He looked up at her and she saw that his face was soaked with tears. Worried she moved closer to him as he sat the basket of laundry down on the table and began rummaging through it. "Are you okay?" He didn't respond but instead pulled something out of the basket, something he cradled in his arms. She watched him in shock, not quite believing what she saw. "It's a baby," she breathed.

"He's magic, and they were going to enslave him," Rumpelstiltskin spoke softly as he gently rocked the little one. "I thought we could keep him hidden in the basement we found a few years ago." He looked at her and she nodded in agreement as she realized there really wasn't anything better they could do for the boy. "We will need to think of something to call him."

He was looking at her expectantly, waiting to see if she had any ideas. A single tear rolled down her cheek in memory of the man who had had the name she was suggesting. "Henry. We should call him Henry."