A/N. This is a sequel to "The Candidate," with thanks to Raeymaeker for the prompt! These two stories are based on discussions my son and I have had about the philosophy and politics of Once. Thanks, son!
"Blue, may I talk to you?"
"Can it wait? It's been a trying week and I really would like to turn in early tonight."
"Please, Blue. I'm. . . It's a crisis of conscience. Of confidence, if you will."
"All right. If it really can't wait. Come in and sit down, Violet."
"Thanks. . . .Blue, I–we all know how hard you work and how hard your job is. Don't get me wrong. I don't mean to–I mean, I–it's about what happened last night. About the boy. I. . . was hoping you could help me to understand."
"The boy. The Dark One's son."
"Yes. Baelfire."
"The boy asked for assistance with a family dispute and I fulfilled his request. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out as he wished, but at least the child is safe now, free from a most horrible situation. What is it you don't understand, Violet?"
"Blue. . . why?"
"What are you asking?"
"He's fourteen. He loves his father and his father loves him, and yet you–well, it looks to some of us like you separated them intentionally."
"Are you second guessing me, Violet? Must I remind you of our respective positions?"
"No, of course not. You're the Blue, I'm just the Violet, but–well, I'm sure it's something that we're just not seeing. Help us, Blue, to understand."
"It's not for you to question my decisions."
"No, no, I'd never! But he's only fourteen, Blue, and he needs his father. When he made his request, why did you give him the bean? He's just a boy–he didn't understand the way of the Dark curse. He thought his father could choose."
"Violet, you're bordering on insubordination. I suggest you go home, have a cup of tea, get some sleep, as I intend to do."
"But he couldn't, could he? The minute he stabbed Zoso, Rumplestiltskin's fate was sealed. The dark magic in him would never have allowed him to choose to abandon his role. You knew that, didn't you, Blue? You knew that–"
"Violet! Your remarks are are now insubordinate. I'm warning you, change your tone before I summon the guards."
"You knew that the Dark curse would never permit Rumplestiltskin to jump into that portal. And furthermore, you knew that Rumplestiltskin would regret it and come to you afterward, asking your–"
"'Asking'?! Demanding! Shouting and threatening! That boy is better off without him, believe me. No child should be saddled with such a parent."
""But it was the curse that made him so. The curse you chose to put on him."
"I chose? I chose? All humans have free will, including Rumplestiltskin. No one forced him to steal that dagger. No one compelled him to murder Zoso. He chose, Violet! He chose. He could have changed his course at any time, right up until he thrust the dagger into Zoso's chest and demanded that he die! That's what is in Rumplestiltskin's soul, what's always been in his soul, and that's why he's the Dark One, and that's why Baelfire is better off in another land, where his father can't follow."
"You withheld information from Rumplestiltskin then, and you did it again last night. You could have told him then what Zoso was. You could have told him last night about the magic tree."
"That tree is being reserved for a bigger purpose."
"A pupose that wouldn't be necessary if you hadn't separated father and son! Unless–Blue, do you want the Final Curse to happen? Is that it? Do you want the entire population of the Enchanted Forest to be swept away to a land without magic?"
"I don't have to justify myself to you. There are much larger forces at work in this than you in your lowly position can ever comprehend."
"This is about the fairy dust, isn't it? Blue, I can see it in your face: this is about the fairy dust, which we're running out of. We've literally given the stuff away, never charging a fee, fulfilling all sorts of requests, from new ball gowns to marriage proposals, never requiring the requestor to think it through before we waved our wands and poof! New gown, new carriage, new husband. Meanwhile, Rumplestiltskin has been requiring a steep fee, forcing his customers to pay for the magic they're asking him–"
"Violet!"
"And he's been building up his reserves, developing additional sources: potions and spells. His reserves grow while ours dwindle, fairy dust, which comes from mines and can't be replenished. That's what this is about, isn't it? It's our going-out-of-business sale!"
"He's the one who must be put out of business! The Laws require it. If we go down, he must go down too! Listen, Violet. Everyone benefits in the long run. Magic will no longer dominate lives. People will learn to depend on each other. And most importantly, evil will not gain sway."
"You wouldn't be saying that, would you, if the heel were on the other shoe. If it was the Dark One who was running out of magic."
"Who are you, with your limited knowledge and your even more limited vision, to question the powers that created this world?"
"This comes from Them, then."
"A decision of this magnitude is never made in isolation."
"How long have you known, Blue?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"I mean, you must have been aware for some time now that our resources were exhausted. When did you and your superiors decide to force the Dark One to cast this curse? I'll wager this curse is already written. I'll wager you've planted bits of it around the realms, so he would think he was finding them behind your back."
"Are you threatening me, Violet?"
"I'll even wager your choice of Rumplestiltskin as Zoso's replacement was based solely on the fact that he had a child you could use."
"One child! Do you really expect me to concern myself with one child when the world is at stake?"
"Yes, Blue, I did."
"Sometimes a single life must be sacrificed for the greater good. You're old enough to understand that."
"A child and his father, and who knows how many generations of that family would have been, if not for your interference. What does it profit us to gain the world but lose a child?"
"Do not think this decision was made lightly."
"Nor, Blue, is this one. I surrender my wand and my wings."
"And your fairy name."
"And my fairy name."
"Be aware, you are no longer welcome in any fairy tribe. You will have no home in any land."
"Maybe I'll find work helping a father locate his stolen son. Or if not, as a housekeeper."
"If you're implying you will seek to help the Dark One, be aware, you will align yourself with evil and your name will be reviled in every tribe. Don't be so foolish, girl. And don't mistake the Dark One's parenthood as a sign of some modicum of goodness. That mistake will get you killed, or worse."
"Goodbye, Blue."
"I wish you well, but I can't say I wish you success. Farewell, Verna."