Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Once Upon a Time. I just put Evelyn in there to play!
AN: Not one of my better chapters but I like how this turned out regardless! Reviews are much appreciated but not required! I love all the e-mails I get saying there are followers/favorites of my work. Without you all...this doesn't happen! Much love!
Chapter 3
Dinner for Belle, I'm sure, was quite a wonderful occasion. She was the center of attention as many high ranking dignitaries and ambassadors from all different lands came in to wish her well. I had never seen my sister smile so much in one dinner party as I did on that evening. I, on the other hand, had a disasterous evening as I was stuck between two well established gentlemen who seemed to unable to grasp civility and pleasantry. One talked about the size of his horse stables, the other the expanse of his treasury. I simply nodded and bowed my head in response to their ridiculous statements.
Much to my relief, everyone went home after the celebrations. I assumed that because of the war, everyone would want to get home as quickly as possible. Belle and I had just waved farewell to the last guest when a missive arrived for Sir Maurice. My sister instantly ran to give the letter to her father while I stayed by the door. My nerves slowly began to sink in just as the sun slowly began to sink below the horizon. The day was finally at an end and I could feel a change in the air. It suddenly got much cooler and I felt a shiver prickle along my arms. It was time to go.
"I'm ready," I whispered to the empty air, feeling slightly ridiculous but also feeling that someone was listening. With a sigh, I closed the heavy wooden doors and made my way to the Armoury. I found Sir Maurice laid back in his great chair looking far older than he really was. The letter was crumpled up in his hand.
"What's happened?" I asked one of the guards standing post at the door.
"A great massacre has occured at the front lines. It appears the Dark One will not come to help us."
"It's too late, my girl. It's just too late." Sir Maurice whispered to Belle as he moped in his chair.
Belle, the ever dutiful daughter, knelt at his side and placed her hands on his. "He could be on his way, right now, Papa."
I stood back against the wall, hiding my small trunk behind a tapestry hung there. My arms were behind my back and I pressed my palms against the cool stone wall. I couldn't help but feel anxious and nervous about the new life ahead of me. I slowly counted the minutes till he would arrive. What would happen to me? Would he ask for my blood? Or would I become a puppet to him, doing all that he asked of me because I was now his?
"Evelyn, you're very silent." Belle looked over at me and her brow furrowed.
I smiled. "That's because I'm planning the right moment to give you your birthday present."
As if on cue there was a knock that sounded on the other side of the War Room doors. Everyone stood, and my blood ran cold. My palms shook violently and I whispered a small prayer for I knew not what. The doors opened as the group crowed near the door. Gaston, always the first for action, drew his sword. However, as we all could plainly see…there was no one there.
"Well, that was a bit of a let down!" Echoed a voice and we all turned to see the infamous Rumplestiltskin sitting in Sir Maurice's chair as if he belonged there. I felt a smile tug at my lips, despite the fact that this situation was anything but amusing. Sir Maurice, Belle, and Gaston all drew back to the chair which Rumplestiltskin occupied. Gaston had his sword aimed at the Dark One, an act that was undoubtedly pointless.
"You sent me a message, I believe. Something about…um. 'Help! Help! We're dying! Can you save us?!'" He smile and stood up, giving a dark chuckle. "Now the answer is…yes I can." He smacked away Gaston's sword appearing almost disgusted at such a thing pointed in his direction. He sauntered about the room giving everything a complete once over. "Yes, I can protect your little town." He turned on his heel much as he done to me yesterday and pointed at them. "For a price."
"We sent you a promise of gold," Sir Maurice insisted. I let out a laugh, really hearing how pathetic he sounded. All eyes turned to me and Rumplestiltskin smiled.
"Ah, now, as this young lady will tell, I make gold." He casually made his way over to me and wrapped an arm possessively around my waist. "As this young lady will also tell you that price has already been paid."
"What are you talking about?" Belle asked, taking a step closer to us. "Evelyn…what did you do?"
"The honorable thing, sister."
"But it isn't fair!"
Belle chose to ignore father's outburst as the understanding finally dawned on him that his youngest daughter realized she wasn't the only girl in the family.
"She's known since she was eleven, Father." I spat out the word as if it were poison, and then returned my attention to Belle, looking ever much the angel even as tears sparkled in her eyes. "And this is my gift to you, little sister." I disentangled myself from Rumplestiltskin's grasp and pulled out the ring from my pocket. "This is for you what my mother's locket is for me."
I took hold of her right hand and slipped it on her pointer finger. "Never take it off, for it will protect you from all danger and as long as the stone is this vibrant red color, than you shall know that I am alive and well. If it ever turns blue, then you shall know that I am gone from this land."
"How is this a gift to me?" Belle asked, looking at the gemstone.
I smiled. "You are protected from danger, sister. This means that you can go out into the world and live your own life, just as we always wanted to do. Live for the both of us, and be happy."
Tears finally began to spill from her eyes. "You're going with him aren't you?"
I smiled, sadly. "Yes, I am. To protect those that I love dearest in all the world." I cast a dark glare at Sir Maurice. "I've never had the opportunity to call you 'father' and I'm grateful that I never shall. But I do this to keep the kingdom I love safe...not because I have any obligation to you."
"Yes, yes, yes, dearie." Rumplestiltskin's voice sounded out in the hall. "This little interlude has been very intriguing. But time doesn't wait for no one...and neither do I."
I turned to find that he'd extended a hand towards me...a courtesy I was confused to find, for I was no one of high ranking and had become a mere slave in his eyes. I walked towards him, trying not to shrink away when his hand snaked back around my waist. We slowly made our way out of the armoury and I felt a sense of out of body experience. I was walking out of the armoury but I couldn't quite register the fact that this was happening. All too soon we had crossed the threshold and we stopped. He turned to look at me, his dark eyes seeming to look into my very soul.
"Time to go!" He gave a laugh and snapped his fingers. The same purplish black smoke I had seen yesterday slowly appeared around us and was going to consume us, or so it seemed.
"Evelyn!" Belle's voice echoed out to me. I turned to face her and saw that she was running towards me. "Sister, wait!" She extended a hand to me as if she was going to save me from my captivity. Just as she reached us, however, the clouds had completed covered my sight and I couldn't see her.
When the clouds had vanished I was no longer standing in the hallway of Avonlea's castle. The place I was in was very dark and there were only a few candles lit in the corridor I was standing in. If it were daylight I would have been able to better see my surroundings but I would have to wait til morning...if I lived that long.
"Come along, dearie," the Dark One's voice rang in the hallway.
My eyes had slowly adjusted to the darkness and I turned to see my captor was already farther ahead of me than I'd realized. I picked up my skirts so that I wouldn't trip over them and hastened over to him. Indeed, I had to quicken my steps in order to meet his long stride. I followed him out of the corridor and through a set of doors that let to what I could only call the Great Hall. As we hastily made our way through this room I took note of the wooden floors, large area rug, dark walls with even darker drapes, and the multitude of curiosities displayed about the room. What truly caught my eye, however, was the large spinning wheel sitting in front of one of the windows.
I stopped, unconsciously, and stared at it. It looked like an average spinning wheel, nothing spectacular about it. I made my way closer to it and examined it. I saw the straw sitting in a large basket, but I also saw the gold that was being spun and was hanging from the wheel. It appeared that he had stopped without completing...or he was going to resume whenever he was done with me. I knelt down and gently touched the fine strand of gold. It was so beautiful and was of good quality. I'd seen enough finery in the last fifteen years to recognize what was real and faux.
My concentration was cut short, however, when his hand snaked around my wrist and Rumpelstilstkin pulled me to my feet. A scream escaped my lips for I did not like people sneaking up on me. It brought back painful memories. I met his eyes again and I could see that he was less than pleased with my actions.
"Touching my things would not be in your best interest, dearie. Now...come along." Without releasing his hold on me, I was pulled along as we exited the Great Hall.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked, fearing that my end was close at hand.
"Let's call it...your room," was the devilish reply. He did not release my hand nor did his steps slow. I tried to keep up with him as best as I could but I was also well aware of the fact that our steps were leading us farther down into whatever place this was. It was large enough to be a castle but considering that he had great magical abilities...who knows what this place could really be.
I couldn't observe and keep up with him at the same time so I didn't realize where I was until I stopped. I stood before a wooden door and the reality of my situation sunk in. The stone steps and walls, the wooden doors with iron bars across a small window...I was in the dungeon. The door swung open and I swallowed.
"You have to admit..." he began, forcing me to look at him. "It does sound a lot better than dungeon." He laughed and pushed me into the cell. I gasped as I tripped over my skirt and landed on my hands and knees just as the door slammed shut.
