12.

-David-

David was running after a sheep to get it into the wooden pen. He liked running after them when they escaped from the herd. It gave him a sense of freedom in a way because he could feel the wind on his face and his heart beat up faster in his chest making him feel more alive.

"You didn't expect that one did you?" He said chuckling to the now locked up sheep when he managed to get it back.

"Son." His mother greeted him when she got near him.

"Mother! How was the market?"

"It was...interesting..."

"Interesting as in?"

"Well...as in I met Mr Pepper at the market... He talked to me about his daughter. You know... he would like to get her married..."

"And let me guess, the dowry was..."

"...the amount of what we are missing...yes."

David sighed. They had lots of debts and were barely sustaining the farm. David knew that if they didn't find a way to earn enough money in the next couple of weeks, they would have to leave it.

"You know that I don't want to marry for funds. I want to choose who I want to be with...We will find another way I promise mother."

Ruth smiled gently at him and stroke his shoulder. "I know son. And I also know you have a good idea of whom you might want to get wed to as well."

David smiled sheepishly at his mother. She knew him way too well. She knew his only thoughts were for his princess as he liked to call her. Regina. He saw in her the most beautiful human being, inside and out, he had ever seen. From the first time he had set eyes on her, so pale and fragile, he knew it had not been any common meeting. With time, he had felt more and more drawn towards her. How could he not? He had seen her ill, healthy, happy, sad, angry...and yet she was perfectly imperfect to his eyes. She had the most beautiful and profound gaze and nobody, to him, surpassed -nor equalled- her beauty. And not only was she beautiful outside, but she also had the most beautiful soul. She was funny, kind, a bit hot-tempered sometimes and she never failed to bring a smile to his face. After each one of their encounters he felt he loved her more than before.

But it was a complicated relationship. He knew it. She had just lost her first love and he couldn't risk losing her by pressuring too much. He loved her too much already to lose what they had and he felt happy only being there for her, caring for her and consoling her. Maybe someday she would feel the same way.

"David, son! Are you listening to me?"

"Huh?" David snapped back into reality and saw his mother smiling at him, adorning a knowing look.

Ruth chuckled slightly and sighed, "Nothing. Come, I'll make supper..."

"Not so fast dearie!"

At the sound of the tinkling voice, both mother and son turned around: one freezing, the other frowning. What appeared to be a man of some sort was sat on a square bale of hay and adorned a twisted smile on his face. For an unknown reason it sent a shiver running through the boy's spine, and he felt his mother tense against him. When David looked over to her, he saw a strange look on her face: did she know him?

xXx

"A twin brother?! And you gave him to that...man?"

"We were poor, barely surviving...then he came along with an offer. One of you for the farm."

David couldn't believe his ears. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"The guilt forbade us of ever speaking of it. Your father started regretting the decision the minute that man took your brother. He carried the guilt with him to his grave..."

"Sorry to interrupt this tender moment but I don't have all day!" The man -Rumplestiltskin according to his mother- said with his strange tinkling voice and a fancy gesture of his hand.

David turned towards Ruth. She seemed frightened. "From now on, let me deal with this." When he saw she was going to protest he added " Mother, I insist. Please, go inside." When finally Ruth entered the house- not before throwing a glance over the two men, - he turned to Rumplestiltskin. "What do you want from me?"

"Oh no no not me dear, King George!" He giggled. "He needs a prince to slay a dragon."

"I am not a dragon slayer."

"No, but your brother was. It is your salvation boy. Simply play the part. The king's knights will take care of everything else. All you must do is deliver the dragon's head to Midas."

David frowned. He had heard about King Midas whose curse was to change everything he touched into gold. "What's in it for you?"

"That is my business. You should ask yourself what's in it for you! You do this and the king will make sure your poor mother doesn't lack of anything ever again! Your farm will be saved and you -should you survive- you should come home the conquering hero! Now don't tell me you don't want that?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Oh, everyone has a choice dearie. Just make sure it's the right one..."

xXx

David didn't know what to do so he went for a walk. His feet did the job while his mind ran at full speed. A million thoughts were spinning in his head. He could save the farm, his mother, but he could also die, leave his mother, and Regina. He didn't trust that man. How could he trust a man who made deals like trading a baby for a farm, or a man who seemed to know everything about them. Thinking started to give him a headache so he decided to shake those thoughts away and took knowledge of his surroundings.

"How did I even reach there?" he thought while stopping.

He was at the back of Regina's mansion, behind the stables. His heart started beating faster in his chest. What should he do? He was dying to see Regina but this whole situation was driving him crazy. He was confused and it probably wasn't the best time to see her.

Just as he turned and walked away, he heard the drumming of hooves behind him. He didn't mind and kept on walking towards the forest, his thoughts starting to resurface.

"David!"

The shepherd finally heard his name being called and turned around to find Regina on Rocinante's back slowing down at his level. God she was beautiful! Her hair was braided on the sides of her head down to the back of her head until her waist and she was wearing a purple velvet vest with gold buttons and pale blue riding pants. He looked up when she stopped at his side. He stroke the mare's head gently as she was breathing heavily after their little ride.

"Did not you hear me calling? You were not going to say hello?" Regina asked him smiling from atop her mount.

"No sorry. I was lost in thoughts...and I didn't want to bother."

Regina frowned and got down off the horse. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shrugged his shoulders still looking at the mare. Seeing as he didn't say anything more nor moved, Regina took her friend's hand in one hand, Rocinante's reins in the other, and they walked until a silver maple not far from where they stood. After tying Rocinante to a nearby tree they sat down under the enormous maple, David's back on its trunk and Regina sat cross-legged in front of him, her head on her arms waiting for him to talk. David sighed. Where to start?

"A man came to the farm today... He offered me a deal."

"A deal?," Regina's brows furrowed. "What kind of a deal?"

"It's complicated...King George, he wants me to slay a dragon and give its head to Midas."

"But...why?"

"His son died...and oh! Have I mentioned he was my twin brother?"

"Wait, what? Are you making fun of me?"

David chuckled darkly, "I wish I was."

"I am not understanding anything...Can you start over please?"

David smiled sadly at her and started narrating everything he had learned that morning. At the end of his story, Regina had wide eyes and was left open-mouthed.

"And what are you going to do?" She finally managed to ask.

"We need this money... If we don't find it by the next two weeks or so we will have to leave the farm. My mother worked her whole life for it, I just cannot let her lose it."

"So, you are going to slay a dragon.." It was more of an affirmation than a question. Regina knew him too well to know he would do what he thought to be the honourable thing. "If you need money we can help you!" She suddenly said. "Do you remember? My father and I, we owe you my life! I am sure he would agree..."

"No! I cannot accept it and neither will my mother. We don't want your money. I don't want our relationship to have any kind of funding side to it."

"Bu..."

"I won't change my mind Regina. You are not the only one to be stubborn here," he added smiling slightly to her but she dropped her head to the ground. He put a finger under her chin to make her look up. "What is wrong?"

"I can't help but think...what if something happens to you? Can't you see It is too dangerous?"

David looked into Regina's eyes; she was holding back her tears but her eyes were starting to get wet. One tear escaped from her eyelids when she closed her eyes to avoid his gaze. David wiped it away with his thumb and leant forward to softly kiss her cheek where the tear had been erased from her face. She didn't open her eyes but he rested her head on his shoulder.

"I can't..I can't lose you too..." Regina said sobbing in the crook of his neck.

David didn't answer, only tightening his grip around her shoulders. He couldn't let anything hurt her again. He couldn't stand to feel her pain. She had suffered too much already. But he couldn't let anything happen to his mother as well! He was all the more torn and couldn't do anything more than holding her in silence. He knew at that moment what he was going to do and holding her close he decided to bet on faith. Faith in the future. Faith that everything will turn right for all of them. Faith was all he was left with...Faith, and hope.

Hello everybody! I am so happy i can post this chapter now! I am so sorry you had to wait. My week has been exhausting as I started my two-week internship and i just couldn't find time to write. Hope you all had a wonderful week and are having a great week-end as well. Thank you to those who left reviews: it means so much! And thank you for all of you who find time to read it! :) I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. As you can see I changed the timeline of the show and it's because of future chapters. ;) Do tell me your thoughts! Have a lovely week. Talk to you soon! :D