ONCE UPON A TIME IN NARNIA
SEASON ONE
Chapter One: Whispers in the Dark
The late starry night passed over the dark castle. Inside the castle itself something of a deal was being made and it wasn't the usual deals that Rumplestiltskin made with the usual fairy-tale creatures trying to better their lives with magic. It was to ensure the safety of two new-born twin boys.
"We have to send them away" Rumple muttered quietly to Belle "We cannot ensure their safety especially if one of my enemies is to discover them".
"But...They...They're our children Rumple" Belle said heartbrokenly "I do not wish to lose them".
The Dark One looked down at the infants' miniscule forms and sighed deeply "They would be better not knowing such a coward as me".
"But you're just going to dump them in the forest!?" Belle was practically growling now "They'll die that much is a certainty!"
"No they won't" Rumple countered "I have faith that they will not end up as I was".
"And their names?" Belle asked her partner softly.
"Alteo" said Rumplestiltskin pointing at the child on the left "And Alder" he changed his finger's direction to be indicating the child to the right.
"We'll need a last name to give them in case anyone figures out they're ours" she added in. Belle's expression was nothing but sadness and heartbreak. She wanted nothing more than to keep their children however she knew that what Rumple had suggested was ultimately giving them their best chance.
"Do you wish to say goodbye?" Rumple inquired of Belle.
She silently nodded and sauntered over to her twins and looked each of them in the eyes in turn "Alteo, Alder. You are a product of true love. I know that you may not grow up knowing us but in my heart I know that you will grow up to be outstanding men".
She kissed the tops of their heads and stepped back to Rumple's side. The wizard sighed deeply looking towards his sons' and said "I'm really giving you your best chance".
Rumplestiltskin span his hands in a circular motion and a whirl of dark purple smoke surrounded the twins' bodies. Belle shielded her eyes and Rumple continued to watch the scene guilt etched on his face.
The first child appeared deep in the forest against a tree. A soft sound of the chirping of birds sang through the air. The cool night air washed against the boy's face and he started to cry at the top of his lungs. Alder clenched his fists and screamed at the top of his lungs. The fate had been sealed. He continued to cry tears of hunger and though the small infant had no concept of the situation there was a harsher sense of pain in his tears almost as if he knew that his parents had abandoned him.
A short while later a horse came rushing along the trail with a warrior of some kind atop the saddle. He looked around the area and then said to a crew of men behind him "Not to worry Merrymen it's just a baby".
"Robin it looks like this kid's just been left here".
Robin Hood glanced down to the crying child and immediately he almost felt his heart breaking. He swung a leg back over his saddle and jumped down from the horse's back. He trudged towards the boy and kneeled down to pick him up.
"Sir?" a merryman asked.
Robin Hood continued to ignore the words of his companions and turned to the small piece of parchment on the boy's bundle "His name's Alder" he muttered barely above a whisper.
"What do we do with him?"
"I'm going to raise him as my own. There's no way I'm going to allow the Queen to get her hands on him that's for sure".
He took Alder properly into his arms and remounted his steed. The male gripped the reins tightly with one hand and kicked his horse's side, it seemed that he had silently told the animal to move slowly through the forest. Robin watched the surroundings for low hanging branches and other dangers so that he could keep his new son safe from them.
Meanwhile in a more dense part of the forest another baby was strewn on the ground. His breathing was weak and he didn't even have the strength to cry. Small heaving exhalations of air came out in disarranged intervals. Death was becoming more and more of a possibility. All of a sudden the trees parted slightly yet there was no sign of any kind of magician present all that was visible was a soft yellow light that passed over Alteo's body. Instantly his chest expanded and decreased faster and faster. His eyes became golden and lion-like. From every reach of the Enchanted Forest a loud roar could be heard over even the various fireworks displays all over the Kingdoms which were in celebration of another year lived and survived through.
Seventeen years had passed since that day and now a young man galloped his horse through the forest. His features are completely hidden under a hood. Attached to the green material of his skin-tight leather jacket held a quiver full of arrows and a bow which had probably be customized and crafted by the child himself.
"Come back here in the name of the Queen!" a Soldier shouted. He was astride his own steed in hot pursuit of the apparent vigilante. The first looked back at the soldier and smirked "Not a chance tin man" he chuckled and turned forward kicking his horse's sides causing it to increase its speed even further. With the soldier as close as he was this Archer needed a plan quick smart.
"I said halt!" the Soldier roared unsheathing his blade getting ever closer to the teen. The vigilante looked back and repeated the soldier's words in a severely mocking tone. Turning his attention back to riding he noticed a vine hanging down from the tree and then nodded as inconspicuously as he could. The male latched it to the hook on his wrist seemingly at super speed, he shot up like one of the arrows in his quiver and rose higher and higher into the treetops. Even in the middle of his ascent he was able to draw his bow and lock an arrow into the string prior to shooting it straight toward the soldier. Though with the heavy armour it should've been impossible it cleanly plunged through the heavy chainmail and impaled the warrior clean in the stomach. The vigilante unhooked the vine and used the bladed end of his bow to slice right through his opponent's neck. He landed cleanly on one knee, the only thing visible under his hood was a proud smirk. The Vigilante sauntered over to the now downed soldier and scrunched up his face in disgust.
"I think you're a head short of a full deck mate" he taunted with a slightly sadistic chuckle. Without any preamble he leaned down and snatched the pouch full of gold from the soldier's waist then tied it to his own belt.
"Thanks for your services" he said politely then returned to his steed and rode off into the wind.
In another time, in another world a large lion roared proudly to specify the demise of the White Witch. Aslan smiled broadly and turned to a teenager with blond hair "It is done Peter. The White Witch has fallen. It is time for you and your siblings to be coronated".
"Aslan, are you sure we're ready?"
"I am positive of it dear one" he said with a firm nod of his head "Come along then".
And with that the coronation of the Kings and Queens of Old began. It was said by Aslan himself that they each had the titles of Just, Valiant, Gentle and Magnificent. The coronation ended with Narnia at peace once more. Lucy turned to Tumnus and said softly "He's leaving?" she was referring to the fact that the great Lion of Narnia was walking away along the beach in silence.
"You honestly expected him to hang around?" Tumnus said seriously "He's not a tame lion".
"No" Lucy agreed "But he is good".
Tumnus reached into his scarf and extracted the handkerchief she had given him from it and extended it "Here, I think you need it more than I do".
The Lion reached the borders of Narnia and slowly but surely paws became hands and hind paws became feet. The legs transformed into limbs and the fur became skin. Now standing on two feet a teenager wearing a simple Narnian outfit flipped his hair out of his eyes and laid a hand on the pommel of his sword. He smiled at the surrounding area and continued on his way. Aslan's human form walked out of Narnia and looked back with a grim expression in his facial features before stepping over the border and through a tree that allowed him to cross between Narnia and the Enchanted Forest.
"Name yourself!" a group of the Queen's men had been waiting for him and now aimed their swords at his throat.
"My name's Alteo" he said as blandly as if it were rehearsed "I'm an Orphan and I'm just exploring the forest because I have no home to go to".
"Then you'll make a good recruit for us" the leader of the section smirked "Bag him!"
Alteo shook his head and sighed deeply "You lot just never learn do you. Well then dear ones. I don't usually fight but you're really starting to piss me off".
He drew his blade and dropped into a flawless fighting stance "Come get me you great clunky oafs!"
The first of the squadron to attack was a trio of swordsmen who appeared to be at least three times Alteo's age. They swiped their blades at him messily and the male laughed sarcastically all the while disarming and killing them with apparent ease.
"Is this her best?" Alteo laughed "Wow… She must be losing funds to be hiring men as useless as you unless she pays in a different way?" he arched his eyebrow in a fashion which indicated that he had just made an innuendo. The leader growled and attempted to bring his giant blade down on Alteo's head at the precise last moment the human form of Aslan parried the blow and kicked him to the ground below.
"Bad form mate" he said with a sadistic smirk "Maybe it's the cold. Let me offer you some heating".
Alteo aimed his hand at the male's prone form and muttered inaudibly "Brisingr".
Dazzling blue flames formed in Alteo's fingertips and he threw them towards the Soldier. Screams of agony passed through the male's lips. The Armour and skin were easily melting away and Alteo didn't once turn his eyes away. At the sight of the now remaining skeletal structure he closed one eye and made a joking inhalation of breath "Looks like you won't be feeling the cold for a while".
Alteo was about to sheathe his blade when he said another presence and a projectile of some sort aimed at him.
"How did you do that!?" the intended killer asked.
Alteo tilted his head towards the female and laughed "Because I can. I suggest you find a better target for your arrow Snow White".
"And How do you know my name kid!?" she snarled drawing the string back even further.
"That's for me to know and you not to find out. But before you fire consider this. I could turn you into the Queen with my magic it wouldn't be hard" he locked eyes with her under her hood and smirked "Yet I haven't".
Snow finally lowered her bow and practically roared "What do you want from me?"
"You aimed at me" he pointed out "So the real question is what does the legendary Princess Bandit want from me?"
"I want to know how you dispatched of the Queen's soldiers so easily".
"As I said that's my business and not yours".
The glares going between the two were enough to rival even the ones the Evil Queen reserved for Rumplestiltskin. Alteo gave the bandit a cocky little grin then turned his back "You may want to start running. It won't be long before the Witch finds out her men have been killed and we don't want to be anywhere near here when she does".
"Now you're helping me? What is your deal?"
"I'm doing the right thing. I may not be the tamest warrior but I am in the least a good warrior dear one. I'm going and if you had half a brain you'd either get out of here as fast as you can or be coming with me".
Snow sighed and returned her bow and arrow to her quiver. She jumped down off her high ground and approached him "Let's get moving then..uhh?"
"I have many names" Alteo smirked "But for now you may call me Mockingjay".
"Mockingjay?"
"It's a type of bird" he clarified "And an extremely good hunter. Trust me when I say you do not want to ever come across one. Creatures as old as time have fallen against them. Now, let's move".
END CHAPTER.
So I decided to scrap the Season Four version of this and start back at Season One so I can do the story in chronological order. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will review. I accept CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICSM but I will not accept any FLAMES. I write this for fun and yes it is AU. And My OCs may be a little Mary Sue but I do not care. Any of that will be ignored. Right rant over. I'm also in the look for a BETA Reader so if anyone is or knows anyone who wouldn't mind doing that for this story let me know.