288 Years Ago
Winter set in and it was another biting one. The winds felt like they cut right through a person and stole their breath away. Sometimes they were so strong that Baelfire would awaken at night and hear the windows rattling.
His family never felt the chill inside the house though. He made sure of that. The windows were as sealed as he could make them and the fire roared through most of the night and the day. He and Morraine knew what it was like to shiver under a thin blanket as the winds blew through the cracks in the house…and how it was so cold that one could barely feel their fingers.
He wasn't going to let his family go through that. They would probably know suffering….but if he could prevent it, then he would. Especially when his oldest was only eight; far too young to know some things that he'd known at her age.
"Coldest night of the year," he told his wife and crawled into their bed.
"You couldn't possibly know that," she cuddled against him.
"I'm hoping it is, I don't know if I can take it being any colder." He told her and pulled the comforter up at the mention of the chill, "I went to get firewood earlier. Nearly turned into a block of ice."
"Poor thing," she cuddled next to him, "Oh, you ARE cold."
He put his hand on her belly, his next child moved under his touch, "Wish you could warm me up."
She put her hand on his, "I share the same sentiment but….maybe next winter if I don't' declare abstinence after four children."
"Whatever you wish, dear," he kissed her forehead.
"Oh, I'm sure that me declaring celibacy would kill both of us," she kissed him goodnight.
"I wouldn't care," he told her and brushed some of her hair back, "All I want is you."
He wrapped his arms around her.
He heard the curtain move behind him and a small hand shook his shoulder, 'Papa."
Baelfire turned to find his youngest son standing by the bedside, "Hi son…you have a nightmare?"
The boy nodded.
"Bae," Morraine warned.
"It's a nightmare," he told her and put their son right next to him, "Just for tonight."
"That's what you say every night this happens," she said, "He's getting too old for this."
"Just for tonight," He argued.
"Softie."
"Hm," he winced as his son stuck his cold feet against Bae's back, "I'm your softie though."
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Baelfire's home was a little bit away from town. So he didn't hear the trouble at first.
But when someone kicked open his door, he knew immediately that the looters he heard about months ago were here.
"Rise and shine, everyone," a man taunted. Baelfire grabbed a knife strapped to his leg.
"Bae," Morraine whispered frantically.
Baelfire grabbed his son and handed him to his wife, "Sh…"
The curtain was pulled open. Baelfire saw it was some man…a malnourished twig of a man with a knife too big for him.
Baelfire threw his own dagger and it embedded in the man's neck. The man staggered and Baelfire rushed over and pulled him on the floor before he could fall back through the curtain.
Baelfire rushed through the curtain and grabbed his daughter before she could get through and see the body, "Get Dyllyan and get under your bed."
"Papa!"
"Under your bed!" he said more harshly
Through the window, he saw a man riding a horse with a torch. Gods, he'd built this home by hand, he didn't want it burned to the ground before it stood ten years.
He grabbed a garden hoe and raced outside. The man on the horse was on him. HE swung the hoe and caught the man. The rider fell off the beast and landed on his neck with a sickening crunch.
Baelfire thought he saw someone behind him, and tried to turn.
A war hammer slammed against his knee. Baelfire was on the ground before the pain even hit him…and when it did…
He'd never experienced anything like it. He couldn't think…he couldn't think. His knee was completely shattered and he might never walk again…
When he could see…when the pain didn't blind him (It felt like an eternity but it was barely seconds) He saw the main ready to bring a war hammer down on his skull.
Morraine moved behind his attacker. She grabbed him by the back of his hair, forced his head back, and cut his throat. The man choked on his own blood and fell next to Baelfire.
"Bae," His wife went to kneel beside him.
They could hear screams from the village. But not of the villagers. Bae forced himself to sit up and he tried to listen.
He heard no women and children screaming.
"Baelfire."
He looked up at the voice that was all too familiar and he felt his blood run cold when he saw his father, "What did you do?"
"Saved your village," Rumpelstiltskin knelt beside Baelfire…across from Morraine, "You're hurt."
"Will healing me be your price for saving us?" Baelfire asked, defeated.
"If I don't heal at least most of the damage, you'll be in a worse position then I was when I got my injury," he hovered his hand over Baelfire's knee. Baelfire saw the purple smoke around his hand, "Don't worry son, I know how you hate magic…I won't heal things that can't heal naturally. You may have a limp though."
"What about the others?" he demanded.
"No one's majorly hurt," He promised his son, "They just want to rob and pillage, they don't fight you unless you fight first."
"I protected my family."
Rumpelstiltskin looked at him, "I never said there was anything wrong with what you did."
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Baelfire hadn't asked for much in his life. A peaceful existence, a family to love and some land to work. He didn't care about his leadership of the town, he didn't care about his standing…he didn't want anything more than what he had. He was happy with his small little farm. He didn't want power and he didn't want magic. He'd seen too much of both over the 300 years he'd been alive and he wasn't eager to see any more.
And in one night he lost that all. They took everything. His home…his family…They would burn his fields and rob the graves…and the only thing left would be a pile of ash after they took everything of value and burned the rest as a warning. He had no home now…he could never return to the village because they would be waiting for him.
Why hadn't his father come? Was this one of his 'lessons'? If Baelfire wasn't going to answer to his father's terms, then Rumpelstiltskin wasn't going to help him?
Or maybe this was his game. He wanted Bae to lose everything so he'd turn to his father for help.
Either one sounded like something he'd do. He never interfered unless Baelfire's life was in immediate danger and this would probably be no different. He wouldn't care if Baelfire's home was gone. After all, it was a representation that Baelfire had had a life separate from him.
Or maybe he wanted Baelfire to leave with this girl. Maybe this was his way of pushing them together because Baelfire had been through more wars than he cared to count. Maybe he wanted him to be some sort of advisor for Emma because he believed that Emma could get the throne with his help.
Or maybe he was in the bathtub and couldn't be bothered, Baelfire didn't know.
Emma dozed behind him. The adrenaline was crashing and she was exhausted. He was as well but he hadn't ridden as far as she had with barely any rest either.
He had tied her to him a few hours ago to keep her from falling off. She pressed against his back in a way that was comfortable for her, but not for him. Her weight was off on the right. If she shifted anymore, he was scared she'd fall off and take him with her.
Gods, what was he supposed to do with her? Drop her off at the coast, wish her luck on her quest, and go find somewhere else to live? It'd been dark last night…none of the guards saw his face all that clearly. They wouldn't know what he looked like.
The Queen might though…she was a sorceress.
And he wasn't entirely sure he could leave this girl alone now that they'd fought side by side. He sort of felt responsible for her now. She wouldn't have many friends here…especially if she didn't get the Dark One's assistance. That was his fault. Of course it would look simple…just speak with his father. That was Emma's deal.
But it was never that simple. He couldn't. Not after he came to regret so many deals he'd made with his father when his father wanted to reconcile. Baelfire couldn't go through it again.
So if he was going to be responsible for Emma losing a major strategic advantage, then he could at least do his best to take care of her.
It was noon when she woke up. He felt her head move against his back and he felt the pressure of her chin as she rested it on his back, "What time is it?"
"Noon," he pulled the horse to stop on the edge of the mountain. There was a stream here…they needed to rest.
He cut the rope that bound him to Emma and climbed down. Emma hopped down as well. She looked somewhat rested but her posture spoke of how she physically exhausted she still was.
Baelfire filled the canteens. Emma went downstream and washed some of the soot and dirt from her face and hands
"You're quiet," he muttered and tossed her a canteen.
"I'm just…I don't know."
She was feeling guilty that she led them to his home.
"Emma, you should know that what happened wasn't your fault," he told her. It would be too easy to blame her for them finding him and disturbing his home…and Baelfire was far too old to be petty like that. Blaming her for something she may or may not have inadvertently done was going to solve nothing.
"If I can't protect one man's home, how can I protect a kingdom?" she asked.
"Well, you get an army with a kingdom," Baelfire shrugged, "They do the fighting for you."
She smiled a little. Baelfire sat next to her and gave her a small nudge with his elbow, "What do I call you?"
"What?"
"Well, the way I see things, you're stuck with me now. We've saved each other's lives you see…and back in my day that usually creates a bond. So…I will help you take your kingdom back to the best of my ability. I am the oldest person here. Well…not the oldest person but the oldest person in the world that will help you without a steep price attached. I will need to call you something, your majesty."
Emma looked hopeful as he told her he was going to stay. There was a light in her eyes that almost looked hopeful. And then it immediately disappeared when he called her that, "I'm not queen yet, you can't call me 'your majesty."
He gave her another bigger smile, "Your Grace?"
"No."
"The Swan?"
"Gods NO!" she exclaimed moved to mount the horse.
"Queen's Bane?"
"If you call me that pretentious name…," she trailed off, "At least let me earn it!"
He smiled despite the grief he was feeling. Sometimes he covered up his emotions by teasing when he was feeling….all these overwhelming emotions. He couldn't cry in front of her at the loss of everything he'd worked for and gained and lost in 300 years. He would do that when he found an inn.
Emma shrugged, "Emma's fine."
She reached down and he climbed up behind her, "Well tell me…Emma. Where are we going?"
"Hrothgleld."
"Am I supposed to know that town?"
"Not really, it's not that big or well known" Emma said urged the horse forward, "Which is why I picked it."
"And your army is there?"
Emma smiled, "Some of it is."