Good Friday my fellow Oncers!
Smaug returns in this chapter! HA!
Enjoy the new chapter and make sure to watch Sunday's new episode!
Smaug belongs to J.R.R Tolkein.
Frozen characters belong to Disney.
Enchanted Forest
Avonlea
"Where are my mother and sister?" Zila demanded at the guards who stood in front of the library. Despite being dressed in all black the she-wolf had small amounts of blood, ash, and the scent of death on her. Masamune hung from her back as the guards answered.
"In the library Lady Zila"
Zila placed a hand on the guard's shoulder before opened the doors to the library after walking past the guards. Her adoptive mother Colette was busy putting books in a trunk.
"Mother the wall has fallen we need to leave now before the town is overrun"
"My love these books are too valuable to leave to those monsters" Colette said to the general. The guards came in after Zila. "Take these trunks to the carriage we'll be just behind you"
The guards nodded before grabbing the trunks and they left.
"Darling we must leave quickly where are you?!" Colette called out to her other daughter Belle.
"I'm right here Mother!" Belle shouted hurrying over to her mother and sister wearing a blue gown. She held a book in her hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't leave without this, it's the first story you ever read to Zila and I"
"It's what made us fall in love with books" Zila added.
"Of course I remember my darlings" Colette said placing a hand on each of her daughter's cheeks. Suddenly the castle shook and the roars of the Ogre's were heard.
"Damn I wish Smaug didn't get injured" Zila growled under her breath. "We need to hide"
Colette nodded before looking around and she nodded to a nearby table. Zila gave her younger sister a gently nudge so she would get under the table first, Colette then made her oldest get under after Belle before she joined the two of them. Zila made Belle stay down next to her while Colette did the same with the she-wolf. Suddenly the library doors shattered and Belle gasped. Zila pressed a kiss against her frightened sister's forehead to keep her quiet. The ogre growled as it walked into the library searching for them. Belle whined quietly while Zila and Colette comforted her. The table that had been hiding them suddenly was lifted away and the ogre roared at them from above. Zila immediately put her body over Belle to protect her and the general then closed her eyes ready for death to claim her.
A Few Hours Later.
"Mother?!" Zila shouted as she sat up in her bed. The last thing Zila had remembered was protecting Belle before she had blacked out. The she-wolf's clothes had been changed into sleepwear. Zila got out of bed and swiped a blue dress to cover her sleep attire. The general had some cuts and bruises but other than that she was alright. Zila opened the door to her room and closed it determined to find out what the hell was going. Not far there was a crowd and Maurice saw his oldest daughter approaching and he headed over to her with Belle behind him.
"Zila why aren't you in bed?"
"What happened? Where's mother?" Zila demanded.
"You mean you don't remember?" Maurice questioned her. Zila only shook her head before noticing Belle was in tears. Realization hit the general as she saw the coffin up ahead. Zila let out a mournful wail as Maurice and Belle came over to comfort her.
Zila's POV
"Dearie are you alright?" Rumple asked shaking me from my thoughts.
"Yeah sorry mate of mine" I apologized to my husband.
I wore a dark red t-shirt with black jeans and boots, my hair was in a braid.
"Ms. Swan called us and we need to head over to the station she's found something" Rumple explained.
"Does it have something to do with Ingrid?" I asked.
"Indeed" Rumple answered. I nodded and grabbed my leather jacket putting it over my shirt before we left the shop. The others were at the station when we arrived and Emma and Snow sat in front of a television that had a video on it. Emma then played the tape and on it was a teenage Emma Swan. When Ingrid appeared my eyes went wide in shock.
"Emma's that you" Snow said turning to the Savior. "You must be"
"Thirteen, maybe fourteen" Emma interrupted.
"Aren't you missing the part where's she with the Snow Queen?" Regina added. "Emma you knew her before you came to Storybrooke?"
"Apparently my run-in with her in town wasn't the only memory she erased, all this time in this foster home, or whatever that place was, it's gone"
"How the hell did she even end up in this world?" I asked to no one in particular.
"We were hoping your husband could tell us that" Emma said turning to Rumple. "You spent more time trying to get here more than anyone how the hell could she do it?"
"Considering the time I spent with the same task I would love to know" Rumple answered meaning he didn't have a clue about Ingrid.
"Does it really matter how she got to Emma? Shouldn't we be more concerned about why?"
"Obviously she needed her for something" Regina answered David. "But what? That's our next problem"
"Well she's obviously hiding something" I stated. "Rumple sensed her hiding in the North Woods, her house was searched thoroughly, her shop too, since she's cleared out from those spots she up to no good"
"What about her ice cream truck?" Henry suggested.
"Whoa the Snow Queen has an ice cream truck" Emma asked.
"I'm a kid I notice these kinds of things" Henry said with a shrug.
"Then we split into groups we search the town, the woods, Hook, Emma, Regina you take the west"
"Zila and I will take the east, and I'm sure Calador wouldn't mind tracking from the air with Dakota on his back"
"You have to admit that dragon is pretty cool" Emma stated.
Enchanted Forest
Zila came upon the cave where Smaug resided in. The she-wolf had been restless since her mother passed away, as was Belle. This morning when she had woken up, her younger sister was gone. Last night she had heard her father and Belle arguing about something, but had been too tired to listen. Before entering the cave Zila returned to her human form since she had traveled to the cave as a wolf. The general wore a black dress that had pants underneath it and matching boots, she wore matching fingerless gloves. As she entered the cave she felt Smaug acknowledge her. The dragon had been in the Enchanted Forest for the past two years.
The fire drake had proved to be a powerful ally during the war. Many times the she-wolf rode on the dragons back as he flew over the many battles. His flames proved lethal to the ogre's but the last fight one of the ogre's had an enchanted arrow that had actually pierced Smaug's chest not far from this scar. Luckily after he landed Zila had removed it before the dragon got any worse, however he couldn't move for two weeks and now he was well enough to take flight again and hunt. Smaug's rider made sure to treat the wound before it could get infected. After two weeks it healed on its own accord.
"Something troubles you" Smaug greeted Zila as she entered the treasure chamber. The fire drake looked much better than the last time Zila had visited. A skeleton of an elk lay nearby.
"Belle has gone missing" Zila told the dragon as she walked over to him. She then leaned her body against his hardened scales and sighed. "Our mother died a few days past"
"I heard you have my condolences just don't expect me to say that to Maurice" Smaug stated with a growl. Even though the fire drake was grateful to the human male for letting him remain near Avonlea's grounds, the dragon didn't like other humans. Zila smirked as she gave the dragon a pat on his scaly hide. Smaug then bent down and extended his wing out. Zila knew he wanted her to get onto his back so she climbed up his wing and sat herself onto his back grabbing his neck spikes. The fire drake began to walk forward using his wings that allowed him to get around. Once outside Smaug opened his wings before leaping into the air.
"I figured that a flight would help calm your nerves and get rid of your stress" Smaug said to his rider as he flapped his massive wings every few seconds. Zila chuckled before she gave Smaug a pat on his shoulder blade. The dragon flew them over the now deserted battlefields. The bodies of those that died were now gone, but the presence of death remained.
"There has to be a way to end this war" Zila blurted out. "It would kill me if I lost my sister, my father, hell it would devastate me if I lost you"
Smaug gave his rider an affectionate growl before he said.
"There might be something"
Immediately this got Zila's attention.
"I'm listening"
"I have heard rumors that there is a wizard who possess great power, perhaps he could end all of this"
"Does this wizard have a name?"
"Rumplestiltskin" Smaug answered.
Zila felt her blood turn to ice when the dragon replied. Besides Athena being the female Dark One, there was another, the male Dark One. Rumplestiltskin was very powerful however his services were not free. The male Dark One made deals with those who wanted his help. Then again all magic had a price.
"I think you got a good point" Zila told Smaug. "The male Dark One is our last chance"
Storybrooke
Rumple and I had no luck searching the east part of town. During our search for clues I actually felt tired and Rumple made me go back to the shop to rest while he would continue to look around. I decided to take a nap on the bed in the back to clear my mind. The nap seemed to do the trick because as soon as I hit the pillow I was out like a light. I don't know how long I slept but it was the sound of the bell that snapped my eyes open. I gave my head a shake before I stood up to see if Rumple found anything.
"I see you got some rest" Rumple said as I came out from behind the curtain that led to the office.
"Yeah I did any luck?" I asked my mate.
Rumple shook his head and sighed in defeat.
"I don't know where her lair is" he said. I folded my arms across my chest thinking.
"Why you take us back to where you first sensed her magic in the North Woods, I might be able to get a lead on her scent, finding her lair"
"I'm sorry love but that's out of the question" Rumple stated.
"Rumplestiltskin" I growled in warning. "Don't give me that bullshit, remember before I met you I was the lead general in Avonlea's Ogre's War, as did I gain the trust of the most feared dragon in the Enchanted Forest, like you I also wield magic, and if should Ingrid return while I'm investigating her lair you can come and get me"
Rumple only looked to me with a serious look before a small smile came over his lips.
"I sometimes forget you are a fierce woman my love" Rumple said as he kissed my forehead. "We'll go but if the Snow Queen does return we must leave"
After grabbing Masamune we left the shop and headed on foot in the direction of the North Woods. We started at the point where Rumple had sensed Ingrid's magic and we followed it.
"I noticed you don't have your cane anymore" I told Rumple as we walked.
"Your right since returning to Storybrooke from that last curse I haven't felt any pain" Rumple explained. "Sometimes I wish I didn't injure myself before Bae was born"
"I don't want to hear that mate of mine" I scolded him. "You did that so Baelfire would have a father, in my eyes that is an act of courage, not an act of a coward"
Rumple took my hand into his and he kissed it.
I smirked at his affections before my nose caught a stronger scent of Ingrid's magic. We followed the new scent trail to the eastern part of the North Woods and we walked for another ten minutes before we found the entrance to the cave.
"I told you my nose might help" I told Rumple looking to him. "I'm going in"
"Be careful dearie" Rumple stated in a serious tone.
I nodded before giving him a kiss on the cheek and I drew Masamune before cautiously entered the cave. The lair had a lot of ice and white in it as I entered. I mean for god sakes even some of her furniture had ice crystals on them. Nothing stood out to me as I looked around.
"Zila" a voice called out. Immediately I turned my head in the direction of the voice, but I saw no one.
"Over here Zila" the voice said again. "Over here"
I looked behind me and eyed an object that was covered up by a white cloth. I went over to it and I felt powerful magic coming from whatever was underneath the sheet. I held my hand out and slid the sheet off. A mirror looked back at me and my reflection spoke out to me.
"Hello Zila"
"What the hell?" I said to myself.
"I was hoping you'd find me" my reflection continued. "I'm surprised you were brave enough to come in here"
"I wasn't just going to lay around not doing anything to help Emma or Elsa" I growled.
"Why would you want to help them" the mirror asked. "You never really cared much for them before"
"That isn't true"
"Sure it is, you prefer to fight away the darkness that grows inside you no matter what the cost, you didn't even use your mate's dagger to control him"
"F**k you" I told my reflection. "I would never do that to Rumple"
My reflection smirked before continuing to taunt me.
"Everyone sees you for what you really are, a pathetic coward, I mean why do you think the male Dark One married you? You think it was love, he needed someone weak, someone he could manipulate"
"Now you're pissing me off" I snarled. I put Masamune back into its scabbard on my back and my claws came out. My fangs elongated as well and I felt my inner wolf awakening.
"You speak of lies he does love me and he accepted me for who I am, as I accepted him for who he is"
My reflection chuckled darkly.
"You really think he would love a monster who murdered hunters? Human men that had families and children? Deep down Rumplestiltskin knows what kind of beast he's dealing with, a murderer who gave into bloodlust to avenge her pack"
Rumple's POV
Ingrid's presence was heading back towards the cave and I hurriedly went inside to find my wife.
"Zila"
Zila stood in front of a mirror and her eyes never left it. Her claws were out and a dangerous growl emitted from her throat. I placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Love we have to leave the Snow Queen's approaching the cave"
Zila still didn't move or reply to me, her focus was still on that damn mirror. I then got in front of Zila placing myself between her and the mirror when I did she snarled. Her fangs bared at me.
"Don't look in the mirror, look at me"
Zila growled again as I told her.
"We have to leave"
Zila snarled again before using her left hand to swipe at my face and I felt my cheek getting cut. I grabbed my wife into my arms and she began to fight me.
"Let me go!" she demanded.
"You don't know what you're doing love" I said to her as I tried my best to hold her down so she wouldn't overpower me. I used my magic and I transported us back to the shop. Zila continued to fight me even we arrived.
"Let me go damn it!" she snarled.
"Love we're back in the shop it's alright!"
"Like hell it is!" she snapped.
Zila's POV
"Zila love"
I felt as though I had come out of a trance and Rumple was holding me.
"What's going on?" I asked my mate. "Rumple what happened?"
"I kept watch outside of the cave and I sensed Ingrid coming it was a good thing I found you when I did" Rumple said. He was looking to my hand and I saw that my claws were still out. They had blood on them and I looked up to see Rumple had a scratch on his cheek where I had swiped him.
"Oh my god" I said before I felt my knees give way and Rumple caught me before I could fall to the floor. "I hurt you"
We were both on the floor now and I felt shock coming over me in waves.
"Rumple I'm so sorry"
"It's okay" Rumple reassured me placing a hand against my cheek.
"When I found that mirror something came over me, like a spell, it spoke to me and made me believe all of these horrible things"
"I can assure you that nothing that mirror said is true" Rumple told me firmly. "It was imbued with the darkest of magic, I know you would never wrong me"
I only bent my head down and Rumple pulled me into his body. He wrapped his arms around me in a hug and I clutched onto him when he did this, at that moment in time I did not want him to let me go because I knew one thing for sure. The darkness that Pan said was inside me was beginning to grow.
Enchanted Forest
"I want you to get back to the cave and stay out of sight for now Smaug" Zila told the fire drake as she slid off of his back.
"For your sake I shall but as we just saw from our patrol from the skies the ogre's have gotten to the roads" Smaug stated. "Make sure your sire knows too"
"By now I'm sure he does my friend" Zila said before giving the dragon a pat on his snout.
The fire drake gave the she-wolf an affectionate growl before he took flight. After seeing the amount of ogre's earlier Zila needed to see her father. She followed Maurice's scent and found herself in front of Belle's bedroom door. Zila knocked on the door and Maurice opened it.
"Hey" Zila greeted her father in a tired voice. "I don't have good news"
"The ogre's are at the roads now" Maurice told his oldest. "And Belle is still missing" he then went over to the fireplace. Zila gave her father a kiss on the cheek to comfort him before the door to the room opened and Belle snuck in. After shutting the door she turned to see her sister and father staring at her.
"Oh thank god!" Zila exclaimed as she came over to Belle and hugged her. "Damn it Belle you scared us to death, not to mention Gabriel has been worried sick"
"I thought you two would have been asleep" Belle stated as Zila pulled away from her.
"We both haven't slept normally in days" Maurice continued. "How could we when you left without so much as a goodbye? So did you find what you were looking for?"
"No, you were right Father, I should have let things alone, that trip was a huge mistake"
"No" Maurice said. Both sisters turned to their father. "I'm the one who's made the mistake you two, I've been keeping a secret from you both"
Both women looked to one another before they looked back to their father.
"I know what happened during the ogre attack"
"Wait? What?" Belle asked.
"I didn't want to add to your grief, when the ogre's stormed the library where you girls were hiding with your mother, the guards heard the commotion" Maurice began. "They rushed in and saw the ogre's were about to attack, but your mother she stood in the path of those monsters to protect you both, she kept them at bay while the guards pulled you two out of danger, but by the time they came for your mother"
"It was too late" Belle finished. "She sacrificed herself for us"
"And I put you underneath my body to protect you" Zila added.
"She loved you both so much" Maurice said as he placed a hand against Belle's cheek and the other on Zila's. "Belle I'm just so glad your back, I don't know what I would've done in the ogre's had gotten you on the roads"
"They've reached the roads?" Belle asked in shock. She then put her stuff down before going to the window.
"This war is not going well, but you two need not worry of such things, we have soldiers to fight and a dragon to kill the ogre's as well"
"Those soldiers won't stand a chance" Belle argued. "They'll only slow down the ogre's advance"
"And Smaug almost got killed Father, we need someone who can stop them once and for all"
They two sisters turned to Maurice.
"And who would that be?" Maurice asked.
"Smaug told me during one of our flight patrols there's a wizard, a damn powerful one who may just help us"
"Yes I've read about him on my journey" Belle added. "His name is"
"I know his name!" Maurice interrupted holding his hand up. "And I dare not speak it, trust me you two if we do this"
"Magic always comes with a price" Zila stopped him. "If mother's death taught us anything"
"It's that sometimes a hero has to sacrifice to save the people they love"
"Either one of us will do whatever it takes to save our land, to be a hero like mother, and if that means summoning Rumplestiltskin then so be it" Zila finished.
Storybrooke
Rumple's POV
"I'm afraid we have a problem dearie" I told Ingrid as I entered the cave. "I caught a glimpse of your mirror today"
"It's rather impressive isn't it?" Ingrid asked as she stood up. "I had no idea your bride would be so easy to turn, the darkness within her is starting to intensify"
"Watch yourself" I growled. "Now I don't know exactly when you intend to use this mirror but you should know this, I won't allow you to hurt those I care about"
"And I won't allow you to derail my plans because you've suddenly gotten sentimental"
"You only get one warning"
"Which is more than you get, I can't make any promises over who may or may not survive"
"You know you were wrong before" I said turning to Ingrid.
"That you needed leverage to get what you want"
"My warning to you is this dearie, do not involve my wife or daughter with your plans"
"Your daughter is a remarkable young thing" Ingrid continued. "Never has a child been born from a Dark One"
"My child is not to be messed with" I hissed. "I already lost my son, I will not lose my daughter too"
I then used my magic to leave the cave.
Athena's POV
"It would be wise to leave my brother out of your plans indeed" I told Ingrid coming out from my hiding place.
"I knew you would be watching" Ingrid said looking to me. "Does he still not know the dagger you gave him is a fake"
"If you utter a word about that to him then I won't give you what you desire in the future" I stated. I then conjured the hat into my grasp, Ingrid's eyes went wide.
"Where did you get that?" she asked.
"Oh that's irrelevant" I answered walking towards her. "But now that Rumple and I know what you're up to, we can have a real talk, you might want to reconsider your position because I doubt you'd enjoy becoming just another embroidery on this hat, it looks like you just lost your leverage"
Uh oh.
Zila's not doing so well fighting her darkness and Athena's being really sneaky. Will Rumple find out he has a fake dagger?
Stay tuned to find out!
