Child of Destiny

Prologue:

"What's wrong fair lady?" The beautiful girl crying at the spinning wheel looked up in shock. A strange man was standing in front of her, his greyish skin sparkling in the light from the torches as he grinned at her sitting practically atop the spinning wheel she was to use.

"My father and I, we told the King I can spin straw into gold but I cannot. I don't know what to do. He says he'll kill me if I don't do this." The strange man cocked his head to one side studying her pretty features.

"I will make you a deal fair lady. For your necklace, I will spin the straw into gold for you."

"My necklace," The girl touched the necklace at her throat. It was a pretty piece passed down to her by her mother before she died.

"Just the necklace is all it will take." The man promised.

"All right; you have a deal." The little man grinned and nodded holding out his hand.

The beautiful young woman handed it over watching the strange little man beginning to spin so easily. The straw in the room easily became the gold they'd claimed she could spin. The next night the same thing took place only this time the little man asked for her ring which was another heirloom of her family. She willingly gave it to him and the bigger room became filled with gold. On the last night the King a handsome soft spoken man promised to marry the beautiful girl if she would spin this room into gold and she would never have to spin again.

The girl gladly agreed for really who wouldn't want to marry a King? And she was especially happy with the thought that finally she would gain the title and wealth she had always wanted those she should've had since birth but wasn't given due to poverty. She was willing to do whatever the strange little man asked even when his yellow eyes focused on her stomach.

"I want your first child for this room of gold."

"My child," The girl touched her empty belly, staring at the man.

He grinned and nodded, "Your baby for the gold; simple as that. You can have other children."

The girl nibbled her lip reaching up to touch her reddish curls. "All right my first born child for the room of gold." Really how could she refuse? The little man was right she could have more children and her husband would be a King. What was there to be against?

The man grinned, "As you wish your majesty."

20 Years Later

Regina raced the horse towards the jump leaning forward on the horse's bare back as he easily cleared the jump. She'd been riding for years and at this point it was difficult to tell her from the horse though she was certainly the more beautiful of the two. That wasn't to say her stead wasn't beautiful. Her father had bought the horse for her when she was just twelve years old and they had been constant companions ever since especially since her father was away on business a lot. It was a beautiful day for riding, the sun shone down on the lush valley that hid their mountaintop palace from the world. High mountains surrounded the castle in all directions leaving this place as the only place away from all of civilization. To Regina who had known no other home it was a place right out of a fairytale for lack of a better word. The valley was always lush with the summer rains and in the snow absolutely breath-taking with it's snow capped mountains. She was happy here no one would be able to tell otherwise. She would always be happy here as long as she lived.

She turned the horse planning to head for the next jump when she heard clapping. She pulled the reins of the horse and turned to where her father was standing.

To most he was a scary sight, she knew how people feared the man even her brother Baelfire whom she'd never met had left because of his own fear of him. But to Regina he was the only person she'd ever truly loved and she was always willing to look past his flaws to see the man underneath the mask of crazed sorcerer that he always wore.

"Daddy." She smiled, a truly beautiful sight as she swung down from the back of the horse dropping the reins since she knew he wouldn't go far and running to embrace her father. She knew he wasn't her real father. She had been abandoned by her parents on the side of the road. Her father had found her and took her in. She was always grateful to him for that. She owed him her life and he always seemed willing to do anything for her.

The grin would've sent men running in terror did nothing to frighten off the daughter he'd raised from the time he'd taken her from the Queen to now.

"You ride beautifully Gina." He was the only one that called her by a shortened version of her name.

She flushed pleased with his praise. She loved to make him proud of her.

"Thank you Daddy. I'm so glad you're home. I've missed you so much." She embraced him tenderly and he slid his strong wiry arms around her in return.

"Have you been terribly bored without me my dear?" Rumplestilskin bowed playfully to her watching as she dipped into a bow of her own since the breeches she wore wouldn't look proper for a curtsey.

"Yes horribly. But now that you are home I'll be much more entertained. You promised to teach me more magic."

"Did I?" He tapped his finger against his bottom lip looking at his daughter with his golden eyes.

"Yes." Regina's smile was easy infectious. She was such a happy child.

"Then I believe I'll have to do just that while I'm home."

"When do you have to leave again?" Regina asked her pretty bow lips drawing down into a frown.

"Soon, but not quite yet," He promised motioning for her to take the horse's reins.

They walked quietly back up to the small brown colored barn atop the hill enjoying the silence just as much as if they were talking together. Rumplestilskin hadn't wanted a daughter truth be told but now that he had her he couldn't imagine his life without her. When he had made the deal with Queen Cora all those years ago his visions had told him the queen would give birth to a son not a daughter. He was excited at the thought of having a son. He'd lost Baelfire so long ago that a replacement would've been wonderful to have. But when he'd forced Cora to turn over her baby girl he'd stared into impossibly trusting wide brown eyes and he'd fallen. He had big plans for his little girl who displayed more than her fair share of magical talents.

At first he'd planned merely to make a deal with a childless couple for the child to get what he truly wanted but when he'd gone to do just that the child began to wail and bright blue sparks appeared from her fingertips. He couldn't let her go then. She was magical and if she was displaying that amount of talent at infancy then he had to make certain to nurture it. He'd taken the child for his own and guarded her jealously. Letting no one but a nursemaid near her and only because he was unable to feed the child and be there for her as he was required to make other arrangements for his deals.

"Daddy," Regina's musical voice broke into his thoughts, "What are you thinking about?"

Rumplestilskin shook his head smiling at his daughter, "Nothing child. Just contemplating all the things I would like to do with you before I have to leave again."

"I wish I could go with you. It's lonely here without you." Regina smiled sadly at him, "But I understand you have your work and I must make do."

"Yes that's very true my Gina." The grin was back, "But this time I won't stay away for so long."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Regina's smile was no longer sad. Her father always kept his promises to her. Never once had he ever broken one and she trusted him to do just as he said he would without fail.

"What do you say we go up to the palace and get some lunch? You look famished and I'm sure you've been out riding for a long time."

"I have, thank you for thinking of me." Regina's manners were as always perfect. He'd taught her to respect her elders, particularly him.

"Let's go inside then. Unbridle your horse and put him out to pasture."

"Yes sir." Regina agreed easily.

Rumplestilskin watched as his daughter moved around, her braided hair beginning to come undone from the tricks she'd been performing. At first he'd been against her riding, not wanting her to do anything that could hurt her. She'd already been hurt once before when a magic spell had gone wrong and cut her beautiful face. He'd never forgiven himself for letting it happen. It didn't make her any less beautiful, if anything it enhanced her beauty making her stand out but he knew it hurt her to have it there and even now he would sometimes catch her studying the scar in a mirror frowning and trying to figure out how to get rid of it.

Regina stepped back towards him as soon as she'd shut the gate to keep the horse in its pasture and together they walked back up to the palace in companionable silence.

Author's Notes: So this little dandy thing has been rolling around in my brain for a while. Since my little story Held in Stasis is winding down I knew I needed something to write and this wouldn't leave me alone. It's very A/U I know. I did that on purpose. Sort of a what if story and yes Emma will be making an appearance just not as Snow and Charming's daughter, I saw no other way around that. Sorry to those that prefer her that way. Uh for those that haven't read any of my other stories please check them out. Held in Stasis seems to be the most popular without a doubt. But I'd appreciate feedback on Bindings of Glass and Stained Glass Heart. If this one doesn't seem to get popular like Held in Stasis I may just scrap it and come up with something else so just let me know what you think. You guys are pretty damn awesome about that and I always appreciate it. So yeah just let me know whether to keep it or scrap it. ~ Bella