Notes: This was an answer to a prompt on LJ ouatkinkmeme. livejournal ?thread=1384734#t1384734
They were playing, as always, in the river. She was with Alanna and Marischa, her sisters, when the boy appeared through the wood's border line.
He was far too skinny and small. His hair was shaggy but his vests were neat. At his back he had a bag.
"Come on, Rum, you are going too fast," said a female voice coming from the woods. The boy stopped and looked back.
She realized the boy wasn't aware of her presence nor her sisters'.
"Mum, you are the one being slow." Milah knew in that moment she was lost. His voice mesmerized her in the blink of an eye.
"Milah, Milah!" Marischa was calling for her.
"What is it, Mar?"
"Look!" her sister showed her a little crayfish. "We can eat it for dinner!"
Milah nodded, smiling. When she looked back towards the boy, their gazes crossed. She thought she heard him gasping. Then a beautiful woman appeared there. She was tall, her hair up in a neat bun. She was carrying luggage too.
"What's wrong, son? Are you ok?"
The boy nodded without taking his eyes from Milah's. The beautiful woman looked at her too, gasping.
"Milah?" she asked.
"Yes?" Milah was surprised a stranger knew her name.
"Oh, my! You are so big now! Don't you remember me? I'm Sarah, your mother's cousin." The woman called Sarah came to her through the river, wetting herself, and pulled Milah to a tight hug. "Rum! Don't be shy and come."
The boy came too. She fixed her gaze to him again barely hearing her sisters talking with Sarah.
When he was at her side he nodded. She nodded too. They only looked at each other without saying a word.
"Oh, Rum. Say something. Introduce yourself."
He nodded again.
"Hi. My name is Rump..."
Milah didn't get it. "I beg you pardon?"
He sighed, annoyed it seemed. "My name is Rumpelstiltskin. Nice to meet you."
"Oh! I'm sorry. Em... My name is Milagros, but everyone calls me Milah." she looked at Sarah. "Your mom says she is my mom's cousin, so we must be family... Eh... Welcome."
Sarah looked happy with this. "C'mon Rum, let's get going."
The boy - Rumpel-whatever - was going? No! Stay!
"Wait! If you don't have a place to stay the night you can come home." She bit her tongue. Dad and mom didn't like her inviting strangers. But they weren't totally strangers, right? They were family. "If you would like to?"
Sarah smiled. "My pleasure. But first we should ask your parents, don't you think?"
Milah nodded. Al and Mar grabbed both Sarah's hands and guided her to their house while Rumpel and Milah stayed a little longer.
"Thank you," he said. When she looked at him she saw a beautiful smile dancing on his lips, and his eyes.
"You are welcome," she smiled back.
He made a bow. She curtsied too. They laughed.
"After you, milady." Rumpel had something in his voice that made his words magical.
"Thank you, my lord." Milah caught his arm, and they walked towards her house. She didn't stop her giggles. He told her about his journey.
Only a couple of years latter they wed. His mother died before that, but Rumpel seemed so happy to have her at his side. They had now their own house.
Day after day she cleaned it, made the meals and provided her husband of what he needed to spin. Her husband knew how to sew so he taught her.
His hands were always, always gentle. Always warm. He never touched her if she told otherwise. His kisses were full of passion and love and tenderness. It was all so perfect about him that sometimes it hurt.
He was candid, never picked a fight if he could avoid it. People talked at his back about him being the son of a coward. Of him being a coward himself. She never believed it.
There was one thing she knew for sure: She liked him, but couldn't bring herself to love him as much as he loved her. But that was fine, because he was a good, caring man. She still wanted to go see the world, but staying here with her husband wasn't that bad.
Weeks passed and Rumpel was called to the front. She was both frightened and excited about him going to the war. She didn't want him to die, but if doing this cleaned his name, and he looked so eager to go that she encouraged him.
Shortly after he went she discovered it. She was pregnant. She gave birth to a perfect, beautiful baby. Baelfire wasn't at fault. Her baby wasn't at fault. When she saw her husband back at their house her heart broke.
Baelfire was a strong name for a strong kid. He will have to endure his fate: being Rumpelstiltskin's son.
The son of a coward.