The Princess and the Pauper

Disclaimer: I own none of the recognisable characters from ABC's Once Upon A Time in this story. Only unrecognisable characters are from my imagination.

Rating: M

Pairing: Mr Gold (Rumpelstiltskin)/ OC

Summary: The story about Baelfire's mother and her absence.

Chapter I

Katrina was no one special. She was the youngest daughter of an Earl. Plain, little Katrina. She was not tall like her three brothers. She was not beautiful like her four sisters. She was the black sheep of the family. Though she was not like her siblings in qualities, she did look a little like them in features; brown hair and soft blue eyes.

Before dawn, she would awaken and eat, leaving the house before any of her family rose. She would walk through the forest, find a place to sit and read. She wanted to run away. To get away from all the responsibilities of a woman of nobility. She hated it. So did her sisters when they were her age but they grew out of it. She did not. Her mind was open to the many lives she could have. She wanted to run away and see all the kingdoms. Her life was sheltered, she never saw anything past her family's estate, which was small.

At 20 years of age, she was at a marriageable age but she turned down every offer. She was not happy. She wanted love. She was expected to marry well but she wanted to have a knight in shining armour to sweep her off her feet and take her off to faraway places. So, with a book in her hand, she walked though the forest towards her favourite hiding spot; by the river next to the willow tree. She sat on the bank and opened her book. At first she sat up straight but when her mind disappeared into the fictional world, she lay down on her side.

"Katrina!" Her brother's voice called. "Katrina!" He sounded angry. "Get here now!"

She sighed heavily and sat up. "Coming!" She shouted back as she stood up with her book in her hand. She brushed her skirts before returning towards the manor.

Her eldest brother stood in the courtyard, waiting for her to return. His fists on his hips. "Katrina!" He shouted once again, just as she appeared around the corner.

"What?" She frowned as she walked up to him. "You know I go to the river every morning."

"You need to stop that." He pointed at her book, which she held in her hand. "Father needs to see you."

She shrugged a shoulder and walked past him. "Keep shouting like that and the next Kingdom will hear you." Rolling her eyes and walking into the manor, placing her book on the first table. "Where is he, Theodore?"

"Library." He spoke sternly to his younger sister. There was a 15 year age difference between the two of them and they argued like cat and dog. As a child, she adored her brother and he adored her but when he married, she hated his wife and therefore he started to hate his sister. He never knew the reason as to why Katrina hated his wife. Katrina had caught Matilda, her brother's wife, in a passionate clinch with her husband's manservant. From then on Matilda had blackmailed Katrina. Threatened to hurt her and take away her brother.

"Thank you." She gave him a small smile and walked to the family library. "Papa?" She walks into the large room, which was warm from the constant fire burning in there.

"Hello my dear." He smiles when she walks in. "Been to the river again?"

"Of course." She laughed and sits in the large chair in front of the fire. "Theodore said you wished to see me."

"Yes." He sat opposite her. "You've had another offer from Lord Rowan."

She scoffed and leant back in the chair. "Another?"

He laughed and watched his youngest child as she glared at the fire. "He is quite taken with you."

"What does mother say?" She raised an eyebrow as she watched her father chuckle.

"You know exactly what she said." He poured two goblets of wine, handing her one. "Just think about it. It might do you good to be married." He chuckled. "Lord Rowan needs a wife to care for his young daughters, help him run his household."

"And to provide him with a son." Katrina rolled her eyes.

"Katrina!" He scolded her.

She sighed heavily and sipped her wine. "I will think about it." Smiling at her father, who smiled back. "Can I go back outside until it is time for food?" Placing her empty goblet on the small table in front of her before standing up.

"You may." He stood up as she stood. He stepped forward and kissed the top of her head. "Try not to get too dirty. Your mother would blame me as always."

"Yes Papa." She kissed his cheek and left him in the library.

He watched her leave, moving to the window and watching her walk down towards the river with a book in her hand. She was his youngest child and the apple of his eye. He adored her. He taught her to read and write simple things but when she wanted to know more, he became her personal tutor and taught her many things and let her read as many books as she wished. But because of this, she became headstrong and wanted to make her own decisions, such as choosing her husband. All four of his daughters were married to well off gentlemen and his sons had married genteel women. Only Katrina was unattached and remained living at home.

"What did she say?" His wife swept into the library, in all her red and white finery.

"She will think about it." He drank the rest of his wine. "I think she will except soon. She has never said that she will think about an engagement."

"Good. She is nearly 21 years old and she should not be unmarried. At her age, I was expecting our third child." She sighed heavily and stood close to her husband.

"Give her time." He tapped his wife's shoulder before leaving her standing in front of the fireplace. His wife was very much like his elder daughters; stubborn. He sighed as he went to greet the wool merchant and his son.

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Katrina returned to her secluded spot with her book. Her mind delved into the world, she wished she could escape to. Her fingers twisted her necklace as she read from the pages. A knight in shining armour was what she wanted but they were rare and were married to a Princess or rich lady. Katrina wasn't rich but she came with a large dowry. That was why she had constant offers of marriage. Lord Rowan being the latest one.

She closed her book and lay on her back, staring up at the leaves. This hiding place was great as she could let her imagination run wild and not be disturbed. Her family knew where it was but they never came here. This was her sanctuary. She slowly sat up, placing her book in her lap and looked out at the slow flowing river. "I wish I had something else." She stood up, brushed down her skirts and returned to the house. Not knowing that she would find her reason to begin her adventures away from her quiet and sheltered life with her family.

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A/N: This story will shift between Fairytale land and Storybrooke. Enjoy!