Rumpelstiltskin would've thought that Cora would be bored with him dealing. He thought she'd want to be elsewhere, doing whatever it was that Cora did when he wasn't looking. But sometimes she did join him, and sometimes he allowed it. She was the Lady of the Dark Castle after all; he supposed he could allow it. As long as she didn't interfere, he'd allow her to be there beside him

Other times, she got bored, gave him a kiss and wandered off to do…whatever it was Cora did when he wasn't looking.

He really wished that she was here though, today was a boring day, crops were failing in the west because of drought, he had to hear about 60 different cases and make 60 different deals.

"You over farm your land," Rumpelstiltskin told the newest peasant, "You ruin the soil; it doesn't give it time to replenish the minerals."

"We have to," the farmer said with a shaky voice, "But the taxes that the king is forcing….we have to farm all the land to pay it."

Another thing he was hearing. Taxes usually meant that the king was running low on money and he had to replenish the coin' which usually meant Rumpelstiltskin should put on his best Dark One persona and go pay a visit.

"I can replenish your crops," he told him, "But it'll cost you."

The man tensed, "Sir?"

He was about to list his price the door flew open and he turned with a jerk to see his daughter running in. She was dressed in a gold dress that he knew was only to be worn tonight, her hair was wild and tangled and she was barefoot. He gave a quiet curse as she ran in and crawled in his lap, "Papa! Papa! Look at me! I'm all ready for the wedding tonight!"

He saw the startled look on the farmer and his family's faces. The Dark One had a daughter….and there was a wedding to be conducted.

This would get out. People would find out about Cora and Zelena…they'd come for them. Cora could protect herself but their daughter…what happened if someone hurt her?

He'd rip them apart if they touched his little girl, but it would be too late, the damage was done.

He reached out and froze them in place before they could move or react. Zelena didn't pay attention to them; she was tugging on his cravat, eager for his attention, "Papa!"

"You know you're not supposed to interrupt papa when he's making deals," Rumpelstiltskin told her gently but firmly, "Someone might see you and want to hurt you."

"No they won't," she snuggled up to him, "You'd protect me."

"I would," he promised her. If she got hurt, he wouldn't hesitate to erase her memory of the event…but that didn't mean he wanted to be in the position to do so, not again. Cora had told him when they first got her that she'd found very large bruises on Zelena's arm when she was getting her ready for her bath. Like she'd been roughly handled and not by the mother. He wouldn't allow Zelena to be hurt any more than she already had….but he couldn't deny that he was hurting her by taking those memories, "But still, papa needs his concentration."

Zelena gave a pout, "Are you mad?"

"No darling," he kissed the top of her head. He'd become her papa the moment she called him that. She wasn't his by blood, it didn't matter. She looked at him and saw a father, she didn't see a monster. That was her though, he didn't force her to love him or see him as such.

"I just wanted to be ready."

"And now you are," he lifted up some of her tangled wild hair, "We really must do something about this though.

Zelena giggled and pulled it away, "It's my hair, papa!"

"Is that what it is?"

She giggled again, "Mama says that not even magic can save it."

He smirked a bit, "Well, let's see then, shall we?"

He waved his hand; Zelena's hair was pulled up in a fancy bun, ready for tonight. He had no doubt he'd be doing this again in a few hours, her hair never stayed in place…much like her really.

"And now you're a lady," He gave her another affectionate kiss and set her down, "Now go play. I'll join you shortly."

"I love you, papa!" Zelena called behind her as she scurried away.

He felt his heart swell at hearing that from her…she didn't know what he was though. He was a monster that erased her mind so she wasn't hurt by her separation from her adopted parents.

But he never forced memories that said she had to love him, did he? Was that her?

"And I you," he whispered and turned back to the family standing in front of him.

Zelena, he would regret erasing the memories of. These people, he would not. He was protecting his daughter here. No one needed to know she existed. At least not yet.

It was of no consequence to him that he took their memories, "The price for restoring your lands shall be the next child your wife bears."

The woman paled, the man started sobbing, "No! No, no, no…."

"Either that or your whole family starves to death," He stared at his chipped nails, "Your choice."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The wedding would not be a big one. Just him, his bride to be and his daughter. Some wanted to announce their bond to the world. Not Rumpelstiltskin. He wanted to keep it quiet and silent. He wore his best clothes; all the color of gold like his daughter's dress (He had to fix her hair three times in the span of a day, but at least she'd worn the shoes he'd given her). His wife did not wear white; she saw no point in it. Her dress was also gold. She'd let her hair fall down her back in lovely soft curls. She hadn't worn the shoes though…but there was something he liked about a barefoot bride.

The real problem was finding a holy man to conduct the ceremony. That hadn't worked well; they'd had to settle for a knight. He supposed that made sense though. Having a holy man marry the Dark One to his intended seemed a bit like tempting the gods. Having a knight do it….that seemed better somehow.

He put his hand on her face when she approached him. She gave him a smile and touched his face. He closed his eyes and leaned into the warm touch. He'd never get tired of this…people that loved him; he hadn't had it in so long….

They agreed for an old fashioned ceremony. One that'd been done when he'd married his first wife. It was short, sweet, and to the point and he could get this knight out of here….after erasing his memory of course. He'd seen Zelena.

The knight talked about truth and honor and duty as he bound their hands together with a ribbon. He talked about being one now…and how everything that was his was hers and what was hers was his…

That had already been done, they already shared everything.

Then the knight presented them with a chalice to drink from. He stared at Cora as she gently took the cup and drank from it.

She was beautiful. Gods, he knew he shouldn't have fallen in love, he knew that Henry was assembling an army to come take her back but it didn't matter. He didn't regret what he'd done. He had a wife that understood him and he had a daughter who loved him.

He brushed his hand against hers and took a drink of the chalice as well. The moment he swallowed the wine, he took her in his arms and gave her a passionate hungry kiss.

He had a family. In the eyes of the gods and men…he had a wife and child.

Zelena tugged on his pants and pointed to the chalice, "I want some!"

Cora reached down and picked her up, "Not for many more years, darling."

Zelena looked at both of them with wide eyes, "Are you a queen now, mama?"

"No darling," Cora brushed her hair back, "I'm something much much better."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The last consummation of a marriage had not gone well. He was human then, weak and helpless and inexperienced. It was a wonder Milah put up with him as long as she did when he was that….clumsy.

But he wouldn't think about that now. He was better here, and he had a wife that actually wanted to be with him….and he knew what she liked now…he didn't have to feel like he was blindly feeling around and hoping for the best.

He was well into the night and into the early morning hours before they finished. The covers had been kicked on the floor; the candles were burning low, threatening to go out at any moment.

Rumpelstiltskin brushed her tangled hair from her face and stared down at her, "Are you alright?"

She nodded, her eyes shining with passion and what he'd come to recognize in her as her version of love, "I am."

He smiled and nuzzled her neck, "The Lady of the Dark Castle…I like it. It fits you."

He could hear Cora's smile in her words, "I like it too."

Rumpelstiltskin pulled back and stared at her eyes, "Are you happy?"

She nodded, "I am…happier than I've ever been."

He truly believed that.

He wasn't ready to go to bed yet, He covered her with kisses. He had the intention of showing Cora, his wife, just how much he loved and valued her. He'd do it every day.

He trailed his lips down to her stomach. He heard Cora give a tired moan of exhaustion and desire, but she didn't push him away. He wouldn't ask that they do this again though, she was tired, she'd had a long day of preparing and tomorrow she had a hyperactive Zelena to watch over while he went to deal with this king that was overtaxing the land….

Something wasn't right. There was something off and he sat up with a start when he made contact with Cora's stomach, "What was that?"

"I suspect….that's the child I owe you."

His eyes widened and he stared at her stomach and then her. He let out a breath of excitement…another child…"Truly?"

"Truly," her eyes filled with tears, "I'm carrying your child."

He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a passionate kiss. He had a family….one that he could lose at any moment like was what always happened, but he had a family.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered back, "And now…all we have to do is find your son."

"You do realize that our children will play a part in that," he told her as he pulled away

"Of course," she took his hand and put it on her belly, "You got my daughter back to me, I'll do what it takes to get you your son."