Chapter Ten: A Desperate Soul
He sat at the wheel as usual while Bae was off outside somewhere, most likely playing. Rumpelstiltskin focused on his work intently, letting a few thoughts slip into his mind. On this day, they were of Maria, and the days were becoming numbered. Bae would be 14 in a few days. Speaking of Bae...
"Papa!" the boy's voice rang into his ears, sounding urgent. "They've come for Morraine..." Rumpel ceased his work midstream, grabbing his walking stick and heading outside with Bae.
The young girl was being dragged away by force, and Rumpelstiltskin made sure Bae remained close by grabbing his arm.
The girl's parents were pleading with all their might as the soldiers came to take her away. When they tried to defy the solider, there was mysterious power that thrusted them to the ground, leaving everyone to gasp. Bae looked out into the distance, and his father followed his gaze. They saw a shadow figure on horseback, a cloak covering his body. That's what was keeping Morraine's parents in agony on the ground.
"The Dark One seems to think I can," the soldier said, taking the girl away. Rumpel knew how much Morraine meant to Bae, so he held his son close.
"They'll come for me in three days," Bae said, sounding worried and frightened.
"We'll find a way. Don't worry, son, we'll find a way," Rumpelstiltskin said, hoping he could fulfill his word. Remembering what he and Maria had discussed, he and Bae were going to run away, hopefully making it to that safe place.
As Rumpelstiltskin prepared that night for the plan, he stared at his son, sleeping peacefully after many minutes of getting him to calm down. Rumpelstiltskin was reminded of the boy's mother that easily. He sat at a desk, sending word to Maria that they were going to try and make it there within a few days travel.
He snuck the letter outside and to the mail carrier just before he left. Rumpelstiltskin hoped she received the letter on time. Then, he went and woke up Bae.
"Come on, we're leaving now. Come on, Bae," Rumpel shook his son awake. The boy got up as fast as he could, slipping into his cloak, and the two set out for the wilderness together.
"This seems wrong," Bae said. "Running like this." Rumpelstiltskin tried to convince his son otherwise, and as they walked through the woods, their conversation had died down a little. Rumpel wondered if Bae noticed they were heading in the wrong direction. The town was the other way entirely, but Bae didn't comment in the slightest.
A beggar was in the road, asking for money, which Rumpel gave in and tossed him a few coins, not having time to argue. Hoofbeats sounded in his ears just then, but it was already too late to hide Bae.
They both stood, abashed before the soldiers.
"What's your name?" the lead soldier asked, but Rumpel knew better than to reply. Bae, not so much. After a few insults, Bae was determined to stick up for his father.
"His name is Rumpelstiltskin," he said finally. Rumpel tried to hush him, but after a while, the soldiers knew that Bae would turn 14 in two days time. This wasn't a good situation.
"It is treason to avoid service. Take the boy now," the solider said.
"No no," Rumpelstiltskin said in desperation, holding the boy close. "I'll give you anything. What do you want?" Even he knew he had nothing to offer, and the soldiers called his bluff.
The whole situation turned into humiliation.
"Kiss my boot," the solider said, and after some forceful persuasion, Bae had to witness where his family truly stood in the line of power, which was at the very bottom of the chain.
"Papa!" Bae exclaimed after the soldier had kicked Rumpel in the side, sending him flying backwards a few feet. The same beggar appeared from around a corner after the soldiers left, helping Rumpel to his feet.
As Bae slept once more, the beggar attended to Rumpel.
"All I got is my boy, and now they're gonna take him away from me," he sobbed. "If they take him, then I will truly, truly become dust."
"Not if you have power," the beggar said.
"You may as well say diamonds," Rumpel told him without hope. However, the beggar knew a fine tale, and he told Rumpelstiltskin the legend of the Dark One. The magical dagger controlling him was the key and the duke of the front lands owned it. That's how he controlled the Dark One.
The poor man looked up at the beggar in hope now. There was a way for him to save Bae from war, and by God, he was taking whatever slim chance he had!
When the two returned to the village, Rumpelstiltskin already had a plan to sneak in and get the dagger, telling his son the tale as they wrapped wool around long branches.
"I'll save all the children of the front lands, not just you my boy!" Rumpelstiltskin sounded so happy to Bae, and he couldn't believe what was happening. Deep inside of him, though, he had a bad feeling. Something didn't seem right at all.
"So it's true, you ran. And what happened to Mother? You told me she was dead," Bae said, staring at his father in search for answers. Rumpelstiltskin stared at the ground, still spinning the wool around the stick. He hated lying to his son.
"She is dead," he whispered, but then he suddenly remembered something. "Oh...Bae. There's something I want you to have."
The boy looked curiously at his father as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.
"Read this when you have the chance," Rumpel told him. "Now, let's go."