Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me. All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5
Rumplestiltskin did it to protect his son. Regina did it to avenge her True Love. Cora did it because she wanted power. But what about Rhuel Gohrm, the Blue Fairy? Was she born to be the most powerful creature in the Enchanted Forest, or did she choose it? And if so, why? Was it for power?
Or was it for something else?
Amaryllis: The Story of The Blue Fairy-Prologue
Night had fallen on the Enchanted Forest, the stars that surrounded the glowing full moon twinkling brightly, silvery light dappling the leaves of tree's, the strands of grass, and the roofs of cottages and castles in it's protective glimmer.
In a small corner of the land, a small, but welcoming cottage rests. A well resides outside the home, and the cottage's brickwork is old but strong with one singular candle lighting up a window on the ground floor, showing the assortment of wooden puppets, clocks and toys inside.
Gepetto, the old and kindly man who lives there with his seven year old son who used to be made of wood and a talking cricket, is woken by a timid knocking at the door. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he wraps a frayed brown dressing gown around his pale nightshirt and places a candle in the holder, lighting it before making his way to the door. He passes the lump of enchanted wood in his hallway as he goes. It's the log he's been charged with turning into a magical wardrobe for the King and Queen.
What could anyone want at this hour? Gepetto silently wondered as he opened the door, and his dark eyes widened when they met his unexpected visitor. She was tiny, smaller than en elf, and clad from head to toe in blue, her brown hair piled in high curls atop her head and her blue glow illuminating the doorway, making the candle completely unnecessary. In her left hand, she held her wand, and on her back was a set of shimmering blue wings which she was using to hover so that she was eye-level with the puppet-maker.
"Blue?" said Gepetto, his Italian accent layered with surprise before he recovered, smiling welcomingly "What an unexpected surprise!"
"I'm sorry if I disturbed you, I know it's late-" she apologised straight away, a flicker of guilt on her compassionate features, but Gepetto shook his head.
"Not at all, my lady! Is there something I can do for you?" he asked. The Blue Fairy hesitated, and for the first time since he'd known her, she looked conflicted, but in the end she shook her head.
"No. Thank-you but...it's not your help I seek, I..." again, she hesitated, and Gepetto noticed the way her hand tightened on her wand. His brow furrowed slightly, was there...something wrong? Something more than the Evil Queen's impending curse?
"I was actually hoping to talk to Jiminy" said the fairy, her voice coming out in a rush, and Gepetto's silver brows rose in surprise.
"I'm already here" came a small voice, and both the Blue Fairy and Gepetto looked down at his candle holder to see Jiminy Cricket, dressed in his usual top hat and jacket, standing on the metal that circled the puppet-maker's finger.
"How can I help you?" he asked the Blue Fairy before anyone could ask him how he'd appeared, but instead of answering him, she turned to the older man:
"Gepetto? Would it be possible for me to speak to Jiminy...privately?" she asked, as if afraid of appearing rude, but Gepetto, far too mystified by the way the fairy was acting to take offence, merely nodded. Carrying the candle holder he led the blue fairy through his home until they came to the workshop where he made his creations. The room was almost unfurnished except for a wide wooden table and chair-which, along with the stone floor, were covered with wood shavings-and woodwork tools decorating the bricked walls. It was the one room he never let Pinocchio into alone lest he hurt himself, and as a result was the only room with a lock.
The Blue Fairy flew inside, and Gepetto blushed as the graceful, pin-neat creature of light took in the messy room.
"I-I apologise for the mess" he said, hastily (but gently) placing the candle holder on the table and sweeping some wood shavings on the floor "No-one really uses this room except for me!" he chuckled nervously.
"It's fine" said the fairy, her voice soothing, albeit slightly amused "You don't have to worry, truly" she flitted down to the table, her slippered feet hovering above the dusty worktop. Gepetto went to respond when he caught the look on her face. Was his sight finally going or...did she look tense?
From the candle holder, he heard Jiminy hissing his name and looked down "What?"
"I said I think you should go now!" the cricket hissed. Gepetto glanced at the Blue Fairy, and deduced that his friend was right. He backed away from the table, leaving the candle behind:
"I will, ah...leave you to it" he said uneasily, at which the Blue Fairy looked round at him, flashing him a grateful smile.
"Thank-you for this, Gepetto" she said sincerely, still flying above the table "You are a good man for doing this"
Gepetto shrugged modestly, reaching the door and closing it behind him before he went back to bed, leaving the cricket alone with the most powerful being in the world.
Turning to her, the insect hopped off the candle holder. He looked up as her feet finally touched the table top.
"So, uh" he started, as unsure as Gepetto of what was going on "What can I do for you, Milady?"
"I..." the Blue Fairy stared, fiddling with her wand. She lifted it questioningly "W-would you mind if I conjured something to sit on? We...we could be here a while"
Jiminy blinked his big black eyes "N-no!" he shook his head, stunned that the Blue Fairy was asking his permission to perform magic "No, of course not!"
She nodded gratefully, and with a wave of her wand a minuet chair appeared, a simple thing made of wicker and coloured a pretty baby blue. She sat on the chair, her wand in her lap and her knee's pressed together.
Jiminy tilted his head curiously. When the Blue Fairy had first arrived here, he'd assumed she'd had a new job for him. He'd really hoped it was nothing long term, for he loved Pinocchio, and Gepetto was the best friend he'd ever had. He really didn't want to leave them.
But now, the way she was sitting, with her neck bent and her hands in her lap...he'd seen that look before on other people who'd requested his assistance, a look he'd never expected to see on the Blue Fairy. It was the look of someone who needed to talk, but couldn't quite find the words.
"Um...Blue?" he said gently, and when she looked towards him he was glad that his insect face didn't betray his emotions easily "Is...there something you want to talk about?"
Taking in a deep breath, the fairy out a long exhale. She nodded.
"Yes, I suppose there is" she said, her voice actually shaking, and Jiminy hopped back on the candle holder-the candle of which had lost almost a third in height-and rested his legs on the cool metal.
"So, what is it? That you want to talk about?" he delicately prompted, taking a moment to register that never, in all his years as a living conscience, had he seen anyone more stressed than the magical creature in front of him. The Blue Fairy took another shuddering breath, hesitant to trust.
"Jiminy, before we continue I need you to give me your word that everything I say here" she swept her hand around the room "Will never leave this place. You cannot breathe a word of this to anyone, do you understand me?" she told him, her voice hardening in a way that was almost fierce. Unable to speak, Jiminy simply nodded, and she twisted her hands in her lap, speaking words of thanks.
The cricket waited patiently as she appeared to temporarily war with herself before saying another word, and when she spoke, she spoke simply, as if she didn't expect her next words to have any impact whatsoever:
"I want to talk about my daughter"
OUAT
For a few moments, Jiminy simply stared at the Blue Fairy, trying to process what she'd just said. She sat there, watching him, waiting for him to respond, which of course he eventually did. How could he not?
"A...a daughter?!" he repeated, his green eyelids blinking rapidly, pointing at her with a leg that was threaded through his jacket "You had-?"
"A daughter" the Blue Fairy finished for him, her hands clasping together "Yes, Jiminy. I was a mother once"
"But I thought fairies were born a..." again, he was thankful that he had a face that didn't betray his emotions, or blush "A...different way? Through a childs first laugh?" he said, and the Blue Fairy chuckled softly
"My dear, I believe you are thinking of pixies" she smiled "But you are right in one sense. Fairies are indeed born a different way to humans. When a human baby girl is dying" she explained "A fairy will come and offer to keep their daughter's spirit alive in a fairy's form. Should the mother agree, the baby is taken and given the magic she needs to become like us, and is then raised to cast spells and do good in the world" a soft, amused smile then graced her lips "Some humans are under the belief that we steal these children, calling them 'Changelings'" she said, and Jiminy started at the woman in disbelief, hardly able to believe that she was telling him this.
"However" she continued, becoming serious once more "We are still able to conceive children of our own"
Again, the cricket lapsed into silence, trying to remain calm during this onslaught and work out what to say next "Um...uh..." he started, and the Blue Fairy watched him calmly "If...if you don't mind my asking, Milady, who...who was the father?" the Blue Fairy's lips tightened into a hard line, and he instantly regretted his words. What was he thinking?! That was far too personal! "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry-"
"Don't" the fairy stopped him, lifting a hand "It's alright. I suppose you have the right to ask. Why wouldn't you?" she chuckled softly, but Jiminy could see the sadness in her eyes.
"He was a pixie that was visiting our world-something to do with a flower, I don't know-where he met me. He was...charming, I suppose you could say" she smiled softly, lost in her memories "And so mischievous. He could always make me laugh"
"So, what happened?" Jiminy asked, and the smile left the Blue Fairy's lips.
"After he had done what he came to do, he came back for me and we were together for a few months, but one day, he had to leave. He told me that he loved me, and that he was sorry, but his king had commanded that he return to him, and that he was needed in his own world. I told him I understood" she breathed a heavy sigh, her shining eyes looking up as she continued "We didn't know that I was..." she trailed off, swallowing and gesturing to her stomach sadly.
"P-pregnant?" Jiminy tentively finished, and the Blue Fairy nodded, leaning back in her seat:
"Jiminy, before we begin...there is something you should know about me. I...have not been this" she gestured to her blue clothing "For as long as everyone thinks. Granted, I have been around for a very, long time, but there was a period in my life where I was just...Rhuel Gohrm, a simple fairy"
"I see" Jiminy nodded, starting to become accustomed to these constant waves of stunning information "And, uh, how long ago was this?"
Before she answered, the Blue Fairy looked down at her wand, twisting it in her fingers, looking at it like it was a ghost "I officially became the Queen of the Fairies five hundred years ago" she said, her voice low.
"I see" said Jiminy "And is that when you had-?"
"That, my dear Jiminy" the Blue Fairy dropped her wand back in her lap, fixing her brown eyed gaze upon him "Is where my story begins"
This was a previously abandoned idea that I decided to give another go, it shouldn't be that many chapters long-definitely not above ten-but let me know if you want to see more.