Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time.
A/N: Here's another story, hopefully I'll be a bit more faithful to this one then my other ones. Please review to let me know what you think. Thank you!
Once Upon A Time: The Missing Child
Prologue
Aurora stood by the cradle and stared at the empty bed that should have held her precious daughter. Words couldn't describe the anguish, pain, and sadness that were coiled inside of her just waiting to be unleashed, but she was numb. Her baby was gone and she couldn't feel anything anymore, what was the point if the light in her life had been stolen away.
What was the point?
She lightly ran her hand down the blanket she had gifted her daughter on the day of her birth. She had spent many hours tolling over the delicate designs embroidered onto the blanket, each one filled with thoughts of her unborn child.
Her chest suddenly started to feel tight, like it was holding back a dam of… something and when she couldn't take it anymore an inhuman wail burst from her mouth echoing throughout the castle with it sadness, pain, and anguish.
Her baby… her little one… she was gone… and she might just be gone… forever…
~)0(~
Alaula was a special child because not only did she inherit her mother's beautiful voice, she inherited her great great grandmother's magic, a powerful sorceress. And it just so happened that there was a certain magical being in the Enchanted Forest that loved children, but loved children with magic even more. The more magic they had the more he had to have them and he coveted Alaula the most.
It also just so happened that one Maleficent knew whom this magical being was, where to find him, and had what he wanted most.
So there she was, standing by the Bottomless Well waiting for said magical being to arrive, for the past half hour…
"When I get my hands on him-"
"You'll do what, my dear Maleficent? Strangle me, burn me, stab me, use my bones for soup, and my kidneys for pie? Hmm? Nooo, well then I suggest you shut up and tell me what it is you want my services for."
From the shadows emerged the famed, sneaky, and deviously wicked Rumpelstiltskins, looking for all the world as if he was the one who had been waiting there for half an hour instead of the dark sorceress. In other words his usual self.
"How kind of you to finally show yourself 'Stiltskins, and here I thought you wouldn't be able to make it seeing as you're supposed to be imprisoned, no?"
Rumpelstiltskins smirked and casually sauntered over to Maleficent, his eyes darting to the covered basket by her feet before going back to her, his smirk growing.
"I thought you would have learned by now that nothing can hold me prisoner, at least, not for very long anyways! Now," he asked his voice turning hard, "what is it you want?"
"I want protection from the curse the Evil Queen is planning to use. I know you created it so that means you know a way around -"
"I can't offer you protection from the curse... but I can offer you something else."
"And what is that?"
"A happy ending, but for a price, like always."
Maleficent rolled her eyes and sighed, typical 'Stiltskins. "Name it."
"Aluala-"
"Done."
Suddenly Rumpelstiltskins jumped forward and grabbed Maleficent by the neck and squeezed threateningly, "I wasn't finished!"
Maleficent nodded quickly, her eyes seeming to almost bug out of their sockets with the force of Rumpelstiltskin's hand.
Loosening his hold slightly he continued, "I want Aluala for good, you don't get to come back and ask for her back, and if anyone tries to take her away from me, you'll stop them, agreed?" Maleficent nodded again.
"Good!" Rumpelstiltskins said cheerfully and scooped up the basket, folding the blanket covering it back to look at the sleeping girl nestled inside.
"Why hello Alaula, say hello to your new guardian."
As though she was waiting to hear those very words, Alaula opened her big blue eyes and stared right at Rumpelstiltskins, causing his smile to widen. "You're gonna like it with me, I'm lots of fun!"
"And I can already tell we're gonna have lots of fun together…"