"When you see what I have in here you're going to listen. You're going to believe every word I say." I'll admit this guy is an asshole. He's an asshole but one who seems to confident. Too cocky. I have to know what this guy knows. Especially if it involves Emma. The way he was talking about destiny and magic, it was as if he knew.
He opened his briefcase and I decided to play cool. "Yeah right" I scoffed and bent over to look inside. My eyes widened when I saw. My palms became sweaty my heart started racing.
Inside his case laid a typewriter. And on that type writer had 4 words written on it.
I know you're Baelfire.
I couldn't believe it. I came to this land to get away from that identity. To get away from magic. From him. How could he know? This realm is known as the land without magic. Memories flashed through my head. My father before he became the dark one. My childhood. Neverland. But most importantly my father braking his deal with me. Choosing power over his only son.
All the emotional crap I had thought I'd buried long ago resurfaced.
After what felt like an eternity I turned away and looked at this August guy while closing the case. "I'm listening" my voice cracked. That was all I could manage too say. I was pretty sure I was in shock.
"There was a curse." Fucking seriously? When I left Neverland I thought I left all this magical crap behind. "And it needs to be broken" well no shit Sherlock. What else do you do with curses? I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. One was dread because this was obviously about Emma. Two was fear because my father would defiantly be involved in a freaking curse of all things. "Emma is the key." I closed my eyes and prayed it wasn't true. But I'm the son of a villain and villains don't get happy endings.
"I was tasked with keeping her on track and you, my friend, just got caught in the crossfire. Now I'm going to tell you a story and at the end of it you are going to have to make a decision. Will you do the right thing? Or not? So are you ready?"
I didn't think I would ever be ready. But Emma was waiting and so I had to get this over with. I nodded. "Once Upon A time in a magical realm known as the Enchanted Forest there was a man named Geppetto and his son Pinocchio." I gave him a look. I know had an inkling on who this guy was.
"Geppetto was approached by the Blue Fairy to create a wardrobe out of an enchanted tree. You see traveling between realms was nearly impossible at this point. The wardrobe could act as a portal between worlds taking two people only.
The Blue Fairy explained it was meant to take the pregnant Snow White and her Charming husband to a realm without magic. Now why would their majesties want to leave their comfy palace life for a world they knew nothing about?" He continued on so I figured that was a rhetorical question. "The Evil Queen had a curse. It was literally called The Dark Curse. It was to rip everyone away from their home world into a land without magic where no one would have their true memories and rip away everyone's happiness. Geppetto told the Blue Fairy that he would make the wardrobe if Pinocchio got the second spot and not Prince James. Snow White would come to this land while pregnant with her daughter, figure out Geppetto had lied to her when she saw the boy standing on the other side of tree but wouldn't make an innocent boy suffer for it taking him under her wing until her daughter was born and as prophesied by Rumpelstiltskin would break the curse on her 28th birthday being known as the saviour."
My heart sped up. A freaking prophecy? Things were starting to come together. His earlier comment about Emma having a destiny. His story about Pinocchio. He mentioned my father to rattle me of course. My thoughts got cut off by his story "but then the princess to the kingdom of Misthaven was born too early. The curse had been enacted and Queen Snow had given birth too weak to move. Prince James fought the Evil Queen's Black Knights and managed to get his daughter to the wardrobe with nothing but a handmade blanket with her name sewn into it."
I stumbled back. I have seen that blanket before. Right then and there I knew. "She's the princess. Emma is a fucking Princess?" I started to laugh. Falling on the ground laughing. It was just too much. This whole conversation has been surreal.
"So, Pinocchio is it?" he didn't confirm, but also didn't deny it. Fuck. "Let me get one thing clear. I will not leave her. I want to do right by her, so I'm not going to leave her." He went to say something but I cut him off. He got his chance to talk. Know it was mine. "She does deserve her parents. She deserves the freaking world. Do you even know where everyone is who was cursed?" he stayed silent shifting from one foot to the other. "I thought not. I'll bring her on her 28th birthday to break the curse myself. I will start doing research to find this magical town. She will get her parents back, you will get your father back. Until then she stays with me."
"He will be there. In the town. Are you really ready to face him? Being a coward runs in your genes, does it not?"
That stopped me dead in my tracks. He was talking about Rumpelstiltskin, my father also known as The Dark One. The honest truth to his question was hell no. "I'm not" my voice came out hoarse. "But I have about 10 years to become ready"
Having said that I walked away quickly, I fenced the watches, got the 20 grand and raced back to Emma. I stopped where she was waiting "get in" I hissed. She had barley closed the door by the time I took off.
"Wow what the hell happened, did you get it?" I gestured to the back completely overwhelmed by today not being able to talk. She looked in the bag and squealed. "Neal this is amazing." She sounded completely awed. I barely noticed anything around me and just kept driving.
It had been about fifteen hours straight and we hadn't stopped, I barely said a word. I know Emma wanted an explanation but how was I meant to give her one? Tell her she's really a fairy-tale princess? That I'm from the same realm and am the son of the Dark One? There's no way in hell she would believe me. Probably have me shipped to the mental ward or something. I barely noticed that we left Arizona crossed New Mexico and where into Oklahoma state. Only after Emma's relentless bagging did we find a motel, pull over and just made it to our room when we both fell asleep.
The next morning I woke to the sweet aroma of coffee. Emma was standing there with two cups and handed me one, black. I knew she took hers with two sugars and cream. She sat on the bed and gave me a look. I knew that look. She wanted an explanation.
"Em sweetie, I'm sorry I ignored you last night. I was late getting back to you because I ran into someone. I had no clue how he found me, but he had a deal for me. The deal would involve you taking the fall for the watches and me getting away with the 20 grand."
"WHAT!" yup I was expecting that.
"I told him no way in hell of course but I had to stay and listen to him becauseā¦" I took a deep breath, "He knew my father."
She looked at me with pity. "Oh Neal." She leaned over and hugged me, rubbing my back in a soothing way.
"My name's not Neal." She froze. "It's not the name I was born with at any rate. My name is Baelfire." I had no idea what possessed me to say that but I didn't want to lie to her anymore. And I've checked every fairy tale story of this land and no Baelfire has ever been mentioned.
"Baelfire" she said slowly testing the name as it rolled of her tongue. She smiled. "I like it. Do you think I can call you that when we are alone" she bit her lip shyly.
I really hated that name but there was something about the way she said it. Thinking it over I nodded slowly "only when it's us." I told her.
She nodded. "Like our little secret" she adjusted herself on the bed and leaned in slowly kissing me.
Driving to Canada could wait a few more hours.
