Chapter One
Dust swirled in the shafts of sunlight while the soft squeaking of the spinning wheel made Rumplestiltskin feel sleepy and he moved the wheel with his left hand, pressing the pedal with his right foot.
Having his mother die when he was quite small and being abandoned by his con artist father, Rumple had grown up living with two elderly spinners and learned the art of spinning and weaving. He was also good at tailoring and knitting. Being insecure and shy, he spent most of his time alone, but a part of him yearned to find true love and have a family of his own.
"Like that will ever happen," he sighed while brushing some of his neck length brown hair out of his chocolate brown eyes. There were some gray, white and silver hairs, but the brown hair covered them and he smiled, wondering what he'd look like with snow white hair. He stopped the wheel with his hand when he got up and removed the bobbin of purple thread, walking to the shelf. He placed the bobbin of purple thread on the shelf when the door opened and he turned, looking at Jenna. She was the younger of the two elderly spinners and she had a sweet face with a few wrinkles, a small nose, sharp gray eyes and nice lips. Her white hair was done in a long braid hanging over her left shoulder and she was wearing a blue dress with long white sleeves ending at ruffled cuffs and lace around the hem and blue slippers.
"There you are," she said as she looked at him and sighed. Rumple was dressed in a tan linen shirt with leather string laced in the opening to tie the top of the shirt shut, brown deerskin breeches and brown leather boots which ended at his knees. His hair was scattered around his head as Jenna rolled her eyes and he gave her a slightly lopsided grin. She had always told him appearances were important, but, seeing how most people never looked at him twice, he didn't bother when it came to how he looked.
"Did you need me for something?" he asked as he walked closer and she placed her hand on his shoulder. Jenna and her sister, Freya, knew a man of Rumple's age should be married by now and have a family. Seeing how he never seemed interested, they had arranged a marriage for him, but Jenna wondered if the match was a good one.
"You know we love you, don't you?" she asked and he frowned, nodding his head. "Well, Freya and I have decided it's time for you to get married."
"I don't wish to," Rumple said then walked to the door.
"Don't you want to be loved?" she asked and he turned, placing his hand on the doorframe. His father had made it clear that no one would ever want, let alone love, someone like him.
"I never wanted you. I should have drowned you the day you came out of your mother."
"I am a hard man to love," he finally said and she saw the sadness in his eyes.
"No, you're not," she said as she walked closer and he sighed, looking down at his feet.
"I'm the son of a cowardly con man, who lied and cheated people, stole from them then abandoned me when I was six. That doesn't sound like sound husband material, does it?" he asked with seriousness in his voice and she sighed.
"There are a lot of women who would love to have you."
"Then why do most women look at me like I am some sort of toad? I've heard the whispers and the gossip. I'm better off alone," he said with sad eyes and left the room. Jenna followed him as they walked down the small hallway when he stopped and looked at Freya and the woman standing next to her.
"Is this him?" Milah asked while looking Rumple up and down and Freya nodded her head. Milah was wearing a tight peasant blouse with a low cut front and off the shoulder sleeves and the skirt was short and made of dark green cotton. She wore leather ankle boots and her dark hair was pulled back by a green ribbon. Rumple knew Milah worked as a barmaid at the pub and she was known to bed any man who would pay her.
"Your servant," Rumple said with a small bow and Milah snorted a laugh.
"Listen to him," she said and Freya glared at her. Like Jenna, Freya had a sweet face with a few wrinkles, a small nose, sharp gray eyes and nice lips. Her white hair was done in a long braid hanging over her left shoulder and she was wearing a red dress with long pink sleeves ending at ruffled cuffs and lace around the hem and black slippers.
"You will mind your manners," Jenna said and Milah glared at her.
"Oi, just be glad I'm even considering marrying him. He's nothing, but the son of a coward," Milah said and Rumple felt his heart sinking to his feet.
"That will be enough. Rumple is….," Freya said when someone knocked on the door and they looked at each other.
"Were you expecting anyone?" Jenna asked and Freya shook her head. Rumple walked to the door when he opened the door and looked at the tall man dressed in battle armor standing on the small step. He had dark, short cropped hair and brown eyes, a square jaw and stern features and his body was solid and muscular.
"Are you Rumplestiltskin Gold, son of Malcolm?"" the man asked and Rumple's heart slammed in his chest.
"Who wishes to know?" Freya asked as she stood next to Rumple and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I am Major Nicholas Cole," Nicholas said then removed a scroll from his belt. "These are order for Rumplestiltskin Gold to report for duty. Failure to comply will result in his arrest and imprisonment."
Major Cole handed Rumple the scroll then clicked his heels while doing a small bow. He turned on his heels when he walked away and Milah walked by Rumple with a smirk on her face.
"Well, I guess the marriage is off," she said then headed down the front path and Rumple looked at the scroll then at Jenna and Freya.
Days later – Tall Trees Hill
The mud sloshed under the hooves of the white horse while the canvas sack tied to the saddle moved back and forth and Rumple held the reins tightly in his hands. Freya had bought the horse so he would have something to ride and the scroll had included directions on how to get to the camp. Rumple stopped the horse while looking at the camp and blinked his eyes a few times. Tents were spread out around a large fire circle and a large fighting training circle was to the right of the camp. Horses were harnessed to poles embedded in the ground near some large crates and men of various sizes, weight, hair and eye color moved about the camp. Sighing, Rumple pulled on the reins while the horse moved down the path then came to a stop near a pole and Rumple got off the horse, tying the reins to the pole.
"Hello," a voice said when he turned and looked into the cobalt blue eyes of the young man behind him. He was the same height as he was and had auburn hair, a round face, boyish features and a lean and muscular build.
"Hello," he said with a nod of his head.
"I am Marcus D'Leon," Marcus said with a small bow.
"I am Rumplestiltskin Gold," Rumple said with a small bow.
"That is an unusual name."
"Yes, it is," he said with a small smile when Major Cole walked to them and frowned.
"What are you two doing just standing around? Go get your uniform and boots and tent assignment," he said as they nodded, made a small salute then headed for the solider sitting at a wooden table and the solider looked up at them.
"Name?" the solider asked, picking up a quill and dipping the tip into the inkwell.
"Marcus D'Leon," Marcus said and the solider wrote his name on the page then looked at Rumple.
"Rumplestiltskin Gold," Rumple said and the solider gave him a puzzled look.
"How do you spell your first name?" the solider asked and Rumple spelt his name. The solider wrote on the page then sighed and looked at them.
"The uniforms and boots are in that tent and you're both in tent forty-seven," the solider said and they nodded their heads, walking to the tent. Marcus lifted the flap of the tent up when they walked inside and saw some other men standing in a line in front of a soldier sitting at the wooden table. After a short wait, Rumple looked at the solider while the solider looked at him and sighed. Rumple was used to looks like the one the soldier gave him and folded his arms over his chest.
"I'm not sure if we have something in your size," he said when he looked at the stacks of uniforms. He handed Rumple one of the uniforms then pointed toward the dressing screen and Rumple walked behind the dressing screen. He got undressed then placed the uniform on and smiled. The uniform fit as he walked around the dressing screen and the solider gave him a surprised look.
"Looks like you did," Rumple said while holding his old clothes in his arms. "Do you have any boots?"
The solider handed him a pair of leather boots when Rumple nodded his head and left the tent.
Weeks later
Major Cole stood against the fence of the training circle while he watched the soldiers using sword, sledgehammers and battle staffs when he noticed Rumple battling with a soldier who was taller and stronger looking than he was. Rumple skillfully got out of the way when he giggled, spun around and used the blunt side of the sword to hit the solider in the back. With the grunt, the solider fell into the mud while the other soldiers stopped to laugh as well as hoot insults and Rumple made a small bow. Placing the sword in the scabbard on his back, Rumple held his hand out, but the solider growled and swatted his hand away.
"There is no need for bad sportsmanship," Nicholas shouted as they looked at him and he motioned with his fingers for Rumple to come closer. Rumple ran to the fence when he stopped and saluted Major Cole. "I'm impressed. I didn't know spinners knew anything about swordplay."
"Thank you, Sir. I used to use sticks as swords when I was small," Rumple said.
"I heard you are also good with a bow and arrows as well as a battle staff."
"Yes, Sir, I am," Rumple said then lowered his eyes.
"There is no need to be embarrassed. We need soldiers like you,"
"I'm not that special," Rumple sighed.
"Well, keep up the good work," Nicholas said with a small smile then turned on his heels and walked away. Softly smiling, Rumple turned when a large mud ball hit him square in the face and laughter echoed in his ears. Wiping his face with his hands, Rumple looked at the soldiers then sighed and flicked the mud from his hands. Anger boiled deep inside his chest as he climbed over the fence then quickly walked to a bucket with water inside and washed his face.
"Are you alright?" Marcus asked as he walked closer while Rumple blinked the water out of his eyes and sighed.
"Go away," Rumple said as he walked away and Marcus half ran after him.
"Rumple, what's wrong?" he asked when Rumple stopped and looked at the fighting area.
"What's wrong? I have just had mud tossed in my face," he growled and the anger bubbled in his chest.
"Why would someone do that?"
"Because he is a filthy runt," Andre D'Monte said with a sneer and laughed. Andre was a tall man with shoulder length black hair, blue eyes, square face, handsome features and a muscular build. "Rumple the Runt, the son of a coward and a whore!"
"How dare you," Marcus said as Rumple growled while glaring at Andre and Andre walked away.
"Rumple the Runt playing in the dirt. Cries like a baby whenever his feelings get hurt. Oink…oink…oink," Andre sang and Marcus placed his hand on Rumple's shoulder.
"Leave it. Someone like him usually gets his in the end," he said and Rumple nodded his head. Marcus watched his friend walk away then sighed, shaking his head.
Two months later
The rain lightly fell while Rumple walked toward his tent when he saw two men standing near a large wagon and frowned, walking closer.
"Move on," one of the men said.
"What's under the tarp?" Rumple asked.
"None of your business," the other man growled and Rumple walked away. He went inside the tent when he saw Marcus sitting at the small wooden table and was writing in a black leather covered book.
"Did you see the large wagon?" Rumple asked as he sat on the cot and took his boots off.
"Yes, but no one knows what under the tarp."
"Any ideas of what it is?"
"I did hear it might be some sort of weapon," Marcus said and Rumple snorted a laugh, shaking his head. He used a cloth to wipe off his feet after he removed socks and placed the cloth on the cot. He looked at his socks when he frowned and looked around for his pack. "It's over there."
"Thanks," Rumple said when he got up and walked to his pack. Kneeling down, he opened the pack when he removed a clean pair of socks then stood up and walked to the cot, sitting down. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, I'm just writing in my journal," Marcus said and a small blush moved over his cheeks. His mother had given him a stack of journals to write about his experiences and he made a little cough, looking at the page.
"Why?" Rumple asked, scrunching up his nose.
"My mother wishes to hear about my exploits. Letters take too long and get lost, so she wanted me to keep journals," Marcus said with a smile and Rumple softly laughed, shaking his head. After cleaning his feet off a second time, he put his socks then the boots on when he got up and left the tent. The rain had stopped as Rumple looked up at the gray sky then looked at the large wagon and noticed the men were gone. Something made him move closer as he tried to see what was under the tarp and frowned.
"Is someone there?" a female child's voice asked and Rumple looked around, trying to find where the voice came from.
"Who's there?" he asked.
"Please, may I have some water?"
"Only if you tell me where you are," he said as he folded his arms over his chest.
"I'm under the tarp," she said and he looked at the tarp. Something compelled him to lift the corner of the tarp when he saw the iron bars of a cage and he lifted the tarp higher. He could just see what was in the cage as he lifted the tarp higher and his eyes went wide.
"Seven hells," he whispered at the sight of a small girl around the age of eight or nine years of age with long, matted blonde hair, a long face, a small nose and thin lips sitting in the cage. She was filthy and wore tattered clothing, but what stunned him was her eyes were sewn shut. "Who did this to you?"
"The elders in my village did this," she said and his eyes widened.
"Why?"
"Because I have the Sight," she said when she raised her left hand and he moved back, lowering some of the tarp. A blue eye was embedded in her palm and the eye blinked at him as she moved closer and smiled. "Come closer, Rumplestiltskin."
"How…how do you know my name?" he asked as his heart slammed in his chest.
"I know all about you," she said as she lifted her right hand and the eyes blinked at him.
"You must have heard one of the others say my name," he said, glaring at her.
"Do they also know that you used to sleep with a blanket and sucked your thumb until you were ten years old?" she asked with a smug look on her face.
"Enough!" he said and lowered the tarp.
"Your days here are numbered, Rumplestiltskin. Soon you will be gone from this land," she said as he stormed off and balled his hands into fists.
Six months later – Elf Head's Valley
The sounds of ogres roaring, men screaming and ground exploding echoed around him while Rumple held onto Marcus and Marcus screamed in pain. Blood rolled between Marcus' fingers from the wound in his stomach and Rumple tried to find anyone who could help them. He passed broken and dead bodies as he tried not to slip in the mud and his heart slammed in his chest.
"Rumple, please, we have to stop," Marcus panted and Rumple looked at him with tears in the corner of his eyes.
"No, just a little more. There has to be…," Rumple said when he saw the large ogre in front of them and the ogre growled. "Seven hells, not now."
The ogre held onto a large wooden club with bone spike embedded in the wood and the ogre sniffed the air. Rumple knew he could dodge when the ogre swung the club, but he didn't want to let go of Marcus and gently adjusted his hold on his friend.
"Rumple, let me go," Marcus said softly.
"No, we're in this together," Rumple said.
"Please, if one of us has to die…."
"Neither one of us are going to die," Rumple growled when Marcus let go of him and Rumple's eyes went wide. "What are you doing?"
"Here," Marcus said as he removed his pack from his back and held the pack out to him. "Bring my journals to my mother."
"No, you bring them," Rumple said with a small laugh, but Marcus only pressed the pack into his hands and smiled.
"Go," Marcus said then turned, pulled the sword out of the scabbard on his back and stumbled toward the ogre. Rumple stood still for a few seconds then, removing his own pack, he placed the straps of Marcus' pack over his shoulder, picked up his pack, turned and ran. He heard the ogre roaring as he ran by the trees and tears rolled down his cheeks. He kept running when he stopped near a pair of large oak trees and he placed his hands on the soft bark. He lowered his head when he started sobbing and gently pounded his fist on the tree. Suddenly a blue light appeared between the large oak trees and he looked at the light. Again, he felt compelled to move when he walked into the blue light then fell into darkness and the blue light vanished.