Now the long awaited chapter—to find out who Darcy is!
Chapter Nine~
Tucked away from the other kingdoms in the Enchanted Forests was that of King William, who for many years longed for a child for he was growing old. Then, to his and his wives great and utter joy she gave birth to a baby girl who they named—Odette. She even received a special gift; a golden necklace with the image of a swan engraved on the front from King William's brother and his own daughter. Though sadly several days after her birth, Odette's mother passed away due to sickness leaving William to raise the baby on his own. He spoiled the baby as any father would, giving her anything her heart desired. Then, when she was only five years old King William grew very ill and news spread about the Evil Queen and how she was going to enact a horrid Curse upon everyone. King William lay in bed unable to believe the fact that his beloved daughter would be forever torn from him because of the Curse, and that he couldn't do anything about it because he would soon die. So despite his advisers and counselors best advice, he had someone go in search of the only person who could answer his questions. A sudden knock at his bedchamber door caused his to look up to see a servant appear and say bowing,
"Majesty, he is here." the servant was clearly nervous so King William waved the man away so that entering the room appeared a man wearing a leathery type outfit with scaly greenish/gray skin and straggly hair with flashing yellow eyes.
"Ah ha, good old dearest King William, whatever can I do for you?" the imp asked mockingly as he stood at the edge of the Kings bed while the man tried to sit upright as he said,
"I want to know if what I've been hearing is true; about the Curse." the imp tilted his head and put a single finger to his chin as if thinking before saying with a shrug,
"Possibly, I've heard things here and there."
"Don't play games with me Rumpelstiltskin!" King William snapped but the imps eyes flashed dangerously as he snarled,
"Aye, and don't dare try to command me Willy. I do as I please and there isn't anything else to be done about it!" King William continued to cough as he slumped against the pillows as the imp said,
"But I do know for a fact that the Evil Queen is going to enact a Curse, a Curse where everyone—will be lost and trapped in a prison of Time itself." King William's face turned to one of horror but not because of what the imp had said, but because the door had opened and into the room appeared his daughter.
"Papa, who's the funny man?" Odette asked making the imp turn and grin wickedly down at the toddler.
"Ah, and who are you my lovely?" the imp asked kneeling down in front of her as King William fought to get out of bed saying,
"Leave child!" but she didn't, instead she titled her scarlet head and said to the strange looking man,
"My names Odette. Why's your skin funny?" and here she took her hand and actually, daringly touched his cheek making him narrow his eyes in thought as her father came over and lifted her up into his arms.
"Odette you are to leave this instant!"
"But Papa his skin is funny!" she said as the imp slowly stood watching the King hand the toddler over to a governess who whisked her away, but not before she wave to them goodbye. Turning to the imp, King William said softly,
"I can't let anything happen to her. There has to be something that can save her." at this the imp face spread into a wicked grin as he cooed,
"Oh don't worry dear Willy, I know a way—but all Magic, comes with a price." King William frowned as the imp started,
"I know of only one thing that might save your dear darling daughter from the Curse; there is a well just on the very outskirts of your Kingdom. If you place her inside it and she comes up on the other side she'll both be safe from the Curse and survive it all." when he paused he was standing in front of King William and finished,
"But there is one tiny cost; she will lose her memories, and when—if—she does regain them it will only be because the Curse has been Broken. But by then—it will no longer matter because she'll belong—to me."
"What?!" King William snapped but the imp was grinning and giggling madly as he waged a finger saying,
"It's either that or she's a part of the Curse at only the tender itty bitty age of five dearest daddy!" then he was gone in a puff of smoke leaving King William alone to realize; he was right. The next day he summoned his carriage along with his daughter by his side riding out in search of the well that the imp had told him about. He had only given a scouting location as to where the well was located—besides an outcropping of rocks in the shape of a sleeping person.
"Papa, where are we going?" Odette asked as she sat in his lap looking up at him though he didn't answer her so that she asks,
"Is it because of the man with the funny skin?" again he doesn't answer until they hear the rider of the carriage call,
"We here Your Majesty!" King William carefully stepped out holding Odette in his arms spying the well instantly. It was large enough for Odette to fit in and at that thought he swallows heavily as he starts over towards it. Stopping near it, he knelt down in front of her and looking her in the eyes said softly,
"Dearest, you have to understand what I'm doing now will save you in the long run. There is something coming, something horrible coming that I can't save you from. The only way I can is if you do what I say alright? What I need you to do—is get into the well there ok?"
"But Papa, I can't swim remember?" his daughter said softly but he smiled weakly with watery eyes making her say patting his shoulder,
"Papa, don't cry—it'll be ok." only he picked her up and with his mind made up he started over to the well with her crying out,
"But Papa I don't want to go in!" sadly though he, without trying to have a second thought, dropped her into the well trying not to cringe when she let out a scream of his name.
"Well done Willy." a voice said so that he turned to see the imp standing by the well so that he sobbed out,
"Just keep your word Rumpelstiltskin."
"I always do Willy, I always do." as they spoke the toddler found herself falling at an alarming speed unable to breathe and freezing cold through the water. Everything was dark and just before she thought her lungs were going to burst from lack of oxygen her tiny head popped out above the water's surface. Spitting and coughing, she heard voices and turned around to see a light shining in her face. Confused and scared, she started to go under the water again when someone grabbed her from under the arms and lifted her onto a boat.
"Oh goodness sweetheart are you ok?" it was a woman's voice though there was a man holding her while another woman was wrapping a blanket around her. Shivering, the girl shook her head and started to cry not understanding what was going on.
"Oh poor baby what happened? Can you tell me your name?" the other woman asked while the man said,
"She doesn't seem hurt, if anything she might just go into shock from the cold water."
"I—I don't remember." the toddler said weakly so that the three adults turned to her and the man asked,
"You don't remember your name?" shaking her head, the toddler began to cry in earnest saying,
"Who am I?"
"Hush honey its ok, alright? We're going to get you to a hospital and get you treated before figuring that out." one of the women said as the boat started back for the docks where the three helped the toddler into a car before driving straight to the hospital. Once there they asked who the toddler belonged to and they explained how they found her almost drowning in the harbor. It was several months later that the toddler found herself leaving her newly adopted family's home for a sleepover at a friend's house. The next morning however she came downstairs to discover the police wanting to talk to her,
"Honey, I know this is hard, but we just discovered you're house this morning on fire. Your parents didn't make it—we're sorry Darcy."