A/N I just wanted to thank DustWriter (who knows nothing about OUAT!) for editing my one-shot for this week's swanfireaufriday! Yay many hugs and kisses! In addition, I do not own anything from Once Upon a Time!
Fifteen is a precarious age; this Rumpelstiltskin knows. His son, Baelfire, who is fifteen years of age, seems content with life at the moment. During the day he helps his papa with the household labour and at night he does his readings and arithmetic by the fire. However his father knows that this won't last forever. Baelfire craves adventure. He wants to explore, take risks, see everything. He doesn't know he takes after his mother in this way. But again, what boy wouldn't want to be a traveler? A hero? Or a knight?
Rumpelstiltskin expects no less from his courageous son and realizes that he will have to let him go one day, but he swears to himself that day isn't today.
"Baelfire," he asks, "could you go feed the sheep while I bundle the straw together? You know how they can get when they are hungry."
"Of course, Papa!" Baelfire yells as he runs eagerly out of the cottage towards the overgrown fields that surround their small plot of land. Rumpelstiltskin shakes his head at the impatience of the young lad; not really knowing what to do about his exhausting exuberance.
The day is a beautiful one with clear skies, flowers blooming and the sun shining. As Baelfire walks on, he cannot help but think what could lie beyond the peaceful little village. Morness is tranquil, and normally nothing exciting ever occurs. He wants to see oceans, mountains, and lands never explored!
His thoughts are interrupted when he hears "Baelfire!" hollered by a feminine voice.
He turns around to see Morraine running towards him, a lifelong friend and companion. Her green eyes are wide and her hair windblown from sprinting across the grass.
"Did you hear who's coming through the village today?" asked Morraine, barely able to contain her enthusiasm.
"No, I haven't.," he answered, eyeing her curiously.
"The royal family from the Northern Kingdom are on a summer progress and they're making a last minute decision to detour here! We just got the message early this morning; my mother is in frenzy right now trying to get everything ready!" Morraine explodes with breathless excitement.
"I'm sure they would understand if it is such on short notice-"
"Not necessarily," Morraine cuts him off in frenetic zeal. "Everything must be perfect. If we are in their majesties good graces then perhaps we could get rewards from them; titles perhaps or at least have a bigger home and live closer to the city."
"Good thing, Papa and I don't have to worry about any of that; we like our little cottage just the way it is! Sorry to run off Morraine, but I must be going! The sheep won't feed themselves," Baelfire states with a laugh. "Best of fortune to you and your family during this visit."
Baelfire is standing in the fields, shooing reluctant sheep away from their grazing grounds towards their pen when he sees a parade of carriages and horses go by; all of them in a singular line, going one by one. The carriages' and horses' draping's are patterned in a multitude of rich browns and reds with gold lining. Guards are riding on the snow white horses in front of the procession and Baelfire suddenly forgets his words to Morraine. The cottage does seem small and unworldly; cage-like and isolating. He begins to imagine an adventurous life astride a bold mare like that for himself. A life of adventure, of thrills and battles! But at the same time, he realizes, he doesn't want to leave his lonely Papa. The guilt would weight- on him and he knows not what to do. Already, in a few years he will be expected to solely take on the trade on his own. His papa couldn't work as a spinner forever, after all! It has always been assumed Baelfire would take over when he was of age...but now...
He is jolted out of his thoughts when he sees the only single pristine white carriage go by. He guesses that it's the vehicle which bears the royal family. Through the window of that carriage he spies a head of blonde golden locks and for a moment he locks eyes with the young lady. Hazel eyes bore into his brown chocolate irises. "The princess," his mind whispers to his heart. Then all of a sudden he sees the prim and proper lady stick her tongue out at him. Bewildered and embarrassed to be caught staring, Baelfire spins around and scurries back to the sheep, not knowing what to think about the encounter. He goes back to what his father requests of him then locks the sheep in their pen before dark. He hopes his shame will fade with the setting sun.
Yet peace does not find him. Later that night the whole village is in an uproar with celebration. Rumpelstiltskin decides they too should have a night of relaxation and takes Baelfire into town to join the festivities. In the village square there is music, dancing, ale, food, and good cheer. Baelfire spies his friend and raises a leg of mutton in greeting. Rumpelstiltskin smiles warmly at his son..
"Join them, son. Have fun."
"But Papa, what will you do?"
"I will watch you enjoy your youth, Bae. Go on and have fun with your friends; enjoy the excitement that we are presented with." Rumpelstiltskin laughs, tousling his son's hair.
Baelfire walks away reluctantly as his friend Gunther approaches him.
"Isn't this amazing? Bonfires, free food and performers! I never saw somebody spit out fire before! They're going to start another performance soon. Do you want to come and watch?"
Baelfire looks around Gunther and can't locate Morraine in the crowd. "Sure, but where is Morraine? I thought that maybe she would be with you?"
"Oh, I haven't seen her since this morning. I'm sure she is busy helping her mother with the household. Maybe we'll see her later."
Bae nods in agreement and they walk towards the performance. They sit in the second row, towering over the smaller children and silently watching in awe as the music man plays a tune on the flute to enchant the snake coiled on the blanket before him. . Bae has never seen anything of the sort before and wondered where this man had come from; with his dark skin, eyes, and hair.
As the song finishes and the snake lowered itself back into a basket to rest, the dark-skinned man removes his turban and holds it out to the gathered crowd.
"To all of you who enjoyed the performance, please donate what you think is acceptable, and with your coins I shall give it those in other lands who are in need. Please donate!"
Parents and children all walk up to him to donate a coin or two . And when Bae walks up to the man he can't help but speak his mind.
"Why are you so dark?" he blurts out.
"Why are you so rude to ask such a question?" The man replies indignantly.
Bae stumbles over his words. "My apologies!" he begins. "I didn't mean...well, it's just...I'm," he stammers. "I've never seen anyone so different than me. How can I come to look like you?"
The sounds of a throat clearing in annoyed displeasure came comes from Bae's right and he turns.
The beautiful young girl with hazel eyes is there, standing just a few feet away with Morraine!. His breath catches again in his throat and he wonders confusedly if he should stick his tongue out at her in greeting. The young noble woman does not look pleased; he decides against it. Morraine looks helpless. The dark-skinned man glances back and forth between the lovely young noblewoman and awkward young man and realizes that the poor boy is clearly out of his element in exotic surroundings. Pity moves his mouth to speak on Bae's behalf.
"Your royal highness, the young man was just asking a simple question. I saw no intentional rudeness or malice. Please forgive his ignorance."
"He should realize when to hold his tongue and learn to look up information in a book," the young princess retorted retorts simply.
"Not to offend Her Majesty, but not all have the same resources. Perhaps we and should perhaps sympathize with those less worldly and fortunate."
The young lady slowly profiles Baelfire; he has bushy dark hair and doe-like eyes. He can't be more than fifteen, perhaps sixteen years of age. He's tall and lanky; definitely has done no strenuous size-building labour but his wiry muscles suggest he is not an idle boy. Despite this, She's not impressed with what she sees. In all honesty, she thinks to herself, how can she can sympathize with a fool?!
Baelfire bends down on one knee and bows his head. "Sir, please accept my humble apologies, for I did not mean to offend. How can I make it up to you?"
The dark-skinned man smiled smiles at the boy."Your genuine apology is enough. I know you did not mean any harm. Isn't that right, Your Majesty?
Baelfire looks up at the princess only to see her scrutinize him. He feels completely powerless against her icy stare, for he is only a peasant and she is of noble blood. He doesn't know what he can do to remedy the animosity between them. Truth be told, he doesn't understand what he did to displease the young lady.
"I suppose if you forgave him then so should I," the princess states in a bored tone. Her disdain bothers Bae; this carnival is magic to him yet she's not even paying attention to her surroundings at all! All she's doing is twirling her golden locks around her finger; she doesn't care! What's wrong with this girl?, he thinks angrily.
The dark-skinned man looks down at the children and feels that this is an opportune moment to take his leave. Hoping that the children can handle themselves with further awkwardness, but before walking away, he tosses, "Hope the rest of your evening is as joyous as it has been thus far, Lady Emma!" over his shoulder, laughing.
Emma just scoffs at the remark. Kicking a pebble out of boredom, but then her eyes bore into Morraine's green ones; expecting a solution to their new dilemma of Baelfire. Out of courtesy the young noblewoman's chaperon quickly provides a solution to get the party moving.
"Would your majesty like to walk around the town square some more before retiring for the evening?" Morraine suggests cautiously.
"No."
Morraine, being caught off guard doesn't know what to say. The atmosphere is tense. And she sees the helpless look on Bae's face but can't think of what to do to remedy this disaster. He looks like he's trapped in a pit of snakes with no way out and doesn't know what she could do for him, but before she can make another suggestion, the princess interjects"
"I would like to walk with the boy. Alone."
"Your majesty, I was clearly instructed by your mother and father that I must be with you at all times! I see no problem for all of us to enjoy the evening together," Morraine blurts desperately, being out of her element knows that she cannot not disobey the orders of the King and Queen however, at the same time she is at the mercy of the young noble woman.
"Well they are not here, so I'm ordering you Morraine to leave us. Just don't tell Mama or Papa anything. I can keep a secret if you can." The princess smiles devilishly.
Morraine is frozen for a moment before stiffly turnings to Baelfire and angrily pulling his ear down to her mouth. to whisper "If you screw this up! I will never talk to you again! My Mama will have my head! Do you understand?" she hisses venomously.
Baelfire nods quickly, knowing that he doesn't have much of a choice. As what any gentlemen would do in the presence of a young lady he reaches out his arm for her to grasp. Morraine nods in reply then dashes out into the night, surely to find some council on what to do now. She slowly walks over to him and snakes her arm around his. When he looks down at her, he sees a mischievous glint in her eye. He realizes that maybe he doesn't need to leave home to have an adventure. He smiles warmly at the princess; excited for what is to come.