I don't own OUAT

"You've earned him." Cora preened; her head held high in triumph as the Prince fell to his knees in front of her. He took her hand, his wide eyes gazing up at her. He seemed sincere enough, but the nobleman's love was not what she desired. His power was her will.

"Cora. If you will do me the honor of accepting my hand in marriage?

"Yes." It was such a simple word that sealed her fate. She was now engaged to the Prince, hardly a simple endeavor, most especially for a simple miller's girl. As he bowed his head to kiss her hand, her gaze moved past him to the man standing in the crowd, shrouded in a cloak that made him undetectable to those not looking to find him. But she was looking for him, as she would continue to do all her life, looking for the powerful man who had granted her everything. His eyes glowed with pride, yet there was a sadness behind them that she could not understand. Was Rumplestiltskin not proud of her accomplishments?

Cora entered her private chambers, the suite she had been granted until she was married and brought into the Prince's rooms. It was small, not that she had expected much. The King was quite suspicious of her already; he only allowed her the Prince for her gold. It was the same as any woman who had come with money. King Xavier had set out to sell off his son, and he had done so. Cora was not simply a buyer, however, but an investment. She would make him gold for the rest of her life. She only hoped his life was not so long as he anticipated it would be. His funeral would be her liberation day.

She walked through the suite, looking over the room with a perceptive eye. If she was to be a princess, she would have things her way. A single servant followed her. The den was small, with a single table and two chairs, a full-length looking glass, and, as expected, a spinning wheel in the corner. She knew she would most likely be expected to spin every night for the rest of her days. Sighing, she turned to her bedroom. The door was open a crack already, which was curious. She sent off her servant, a young girl named Kryssi. The girl bowed meekly and left, promising to wait outside the door. At least they had given Cora a servant who would give her privacy. She suspected that she knew why the door was open, and wanted no one watching over her shoulder during the encounter she was anticipating.

Pushing the door open, her suspicions were confirmed by a man slayed out across the elegant bed she had been given.

"You know, dearie. The King could have afforded to give his golden girl silken sheets." He stood, coming up to her confidently. He bowed before her fluidly, arms outspread as he knelt. "And how is my future royal?"

"The Prince proposed, as you well know. I saw you in the crowd." She smiled, gesturing for him to rise. After all, his bow was not one of respect but of satisfaction. He had set her up to become a princess. Each bow to her was another wave of pride for himself. She curtsied when he stood up, her reverence true. He was her savior, after all.

"Because I allowed you to see me, dearie. You don't have the power to see through glamours. Yet." He giggled, turning to inspect her room. She followed him stoically, the only man she would not fight. He held her life in his hand, and could so easily take it away. And he would give her no escape. The Dark One would be her end, she felt sure of it, but for now she would use him as an ally. He seemed willing enough to give in to love, and she was good enough at giving it. She could use him as long as he was willing. And then she would take her leave.

"If the sheets displease you, I am quite certain you have the power to change them." He kept exploring, looking through the assortment of jewelry she had been left, not even looking up at her comment.

"You should be used to sleeping on second best." He pulled out a jade necklace, looking at the stones carefully. "Actually, perhaps that's overestimating your usual living arrangements." She opened her mouth to protest, shocked at his treatment of her, before shutting her mouth quickly. It would not due to make the Dark One angry.

"I suppose I am accustomed to that life, but, as you pointed out, this was my way out. I'll have Kryssi fetch me new sheets." He nodded, moving on to her wardrobe.

"Might tell her to take out a few seams as well, dearie. They seem to have underestimated your weight." That was the last straw. She stormed up to him, reached back her arm to throw a punch and jumped back in horror as it caught fire. It didn't hurt. In fact, it was a pleasant warmth that tingled across her arm. She grinned, flicking her fingers, flames shooting out from them at Rumplestiltskin. To her surprise, though, he disappeared the instant the first spark touched his back. She looked around the room in confusion, searching for him. She even went so far as to look inside the wardrobe. As she lifted up a dark green velvet gown, she felt the sting of the edge of a sword at her throat.

"Back up slowly." he growled. She took a step back from the wardrobe, and his arm curled around her waist, the blade still at her throat. She found that she couldn't breathe, her whole body had stopped in that moment when she could so easily lose her head. Her mind had fogged over, thoughts becoming disoriented. "Now what, exactly, were you trying to do to me?"

"I, uh, I don't know. You did it to me. Every word you said... cutting into me. So I decided to get back." The sword cut into her throat lightly, a tiny trickle of blood sliding down her throat and past the edge of her dress, slipping directly between her breasts.

"You used magic, dearie. I didn't teach you that." Keeping the blade at her throat, his hand moved up from her waist, a single taloned finger swiping a drop of blood. She looked up with her eyes, head staying in place in fear of the blade cutting deeper. He licked the blood off of his finger, a grim smile crossing his face.

"I am capable of much, you've said it yourself." She tried to keep the pride in her voice, even as fear shot through her body. His lips grazed her ear as he whispered to her.

"That's what I was hoping for." He spun her around, the blade clattering to the floor. She had gone stiff while he had threatened her, and stumbled when he turned her. He caught her and lifted her up to her full height, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"How dare you test me like that?" She slapped him roughly before grabbing him back to her, their kiss deeper this time. They only stopped when both were panting lightly, so lacking in breath. He walked her back to the bed, changing the sheets to silver silk with a snap of his fingers. He sat behind her, kissing down her neck before reaching the cut he had caused.

"Perhaps I had best teach you healing spells before we get too far. Wouldn't want to cause irreparable damage, would we?" He giggled, a finger running down a vein on her neck. "The Prince might get suspicious."