Enchanted Forest
Something scared Baelfire. As the boy came from sturdy stock, not much got him shaking. That something affected him now...it concerned me. I followed after him.
Grass and twigs crunched beneath his worn boots. The breeze brushed his unruly brown curls every which way. A few flies tried to catch him, scared off by the rushed movement. He ran over the road he'd grown on, knowing every dip in the dirt and turn in the road. The villagers around parted ways for him, well used to a lively thirteen year old boy.
But none of them noticed the fear in his steps. If they did, none of them thought to care. They had bigger things to gawk at.
No one moved for me. No twigs broke under my foot. Not even the grass bent beneath me, nor did the breeze touch my cheek. Earthly things rarely affect the dead. My black dress got not even a speck of dirt as dragged along behind me. My hair stayed perfectly tied up on my head, not a strand out of place. Not even my rushing after the boy messed up my black curls.
Baelfire screamed the closer he came to his house. "PAPA!" He yelled out. Nobody around me broke stride. Nobody turned to see.
Why would they?
They never liked his family.
"PAPA!" Baelfire threw open the curtain door to their house. "Papa! They've come for Morraine."
Oh, that poor girl. My heart ached for her. Or it would, if it could do anything. My heart had been useless for some thirty years now. That didn't stop me from feeling anything for the poor girl about to be drafted into war. It wasn't fun for anybody.
A girl's scream filled the village. I looked over.
Sure enough, two guards dragged the poor girl down the dirt path. A couple followed with tears on their cheeks and screams in their throats. Pity those screams fell on deaf ears, and those tears on blind eyes.
"No!"
"No! Please, please!"
"No! No, don't take her!" The girl's mother begged. "No! No, you can't take her! She's my baby! Don't take my baby!" She sobbed.
Rumplestiltskin walked out of his cottage. His walking stick stayed gripped tight. The fingers white from stress and worry. He always stressed so much when soldiers came around his home. Not that I blamed him at all. These soldiers were the worst of the bunch.
I narrowed my eyes to the duke's soldiers. The leader of this squadron sneered smugly down at the sobbing parents.
"Nonsense." Hordor dismissed. "She's a fine, strong girl. She'll make a fine soldier."
"It's a mistake- she's turning fourteen. Only fourteen!" The girl's father pleaded.
"Orders of the Duke!" Hordor yelled. Other villagers jumped back. They held tighter to their spouses and children. "The Ogre Wars have taken their toll this season. More troops will turn the tide."
"They lowered the age again, Papa." Baelfire realized.
"I know." His papa replied. Rumplestiltskin was often faster on the uptake than his fellow villagers.
It still did nothing to quell the rage inside of me. A rage that had been building for days when I heard what the Duke planned for his people.
"Take her." Hordor commanded. "She'll ride with me." The soldiers raised the girl, dropping her on the back of his horse.
"No!" Her mother screamed.
"You can't have her!" The father yelled.
Her mother pulled out a knife.
My chest tightened.
Her and her husband became still. Again my chest tightened.
"The Dark One seems to think I can." Hordor reminded the villagers, smirking proudly.
Zoso glanced my way. I shook my head.
The parents fell to the ground, shaken but alive. I walked up to Hordor's side. I wanted to hit him- to get him gone.
The horse screeched, rearing enough to nearly throw off Hordor.
Hordor tightened his reins. The horse stopped. Hordor glared at the village, leading his soldiers away.
I bristled.
Zoso and his horse vanished in a whirl of magic. I went to Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire's side.
"My birthday's in three days." Baelfire reminded his father. "They'll come for me in three days!"
My fists tightened again. If I wasn't keeping such a tight lid on my abilities, things would have gone very badly. There was still time to take Hordor before he returned for Baelfire.
Rumplestiltskin hugged his son, leaning hard on his walking cane and the boy. "We'll find a way. We'll...We'll find a way."
I reached out my hand. It stopped just short of holding his face. He may not notice me, he would notice a touch on the face. Even with my magic concealing me, Rumplestiltskin was always sensitive to my magical aura.
I lost my son. I wouldn't lose my grandson too.
==BOL==
Storybrooke
Of course it was you
How could it have been anybody else?
Gold called the police station, just as he'd done in the show. Emma answered- closer to the Sheriff's phone.
We'd barely spoken in the past few days. Our last real conversation came at the Huntsman's funeral.
The gravestone bore no name- only his title as Sheriff, and an emblem of a wolf. Some asked questions but everyone knew I arranged it, all-knowing I would know him better as his closest friend. It had no year of the passing, nor no sign of his age. The wolf emblem had two different colored eyes: a light gray stone and the other dark gray.
Regina tried taking over the funeral arrangements. Their relationship was a not-so-secret thing around town. However, Graham's will had been clear. He trusted me, and me alone. Yeah, the Mayor hadn't liked that. She glared at me during the entire funeral.
But Emma and Henry? They did different things. Henry kept his distance, not talking to me or anyone really. That was fine- at the time my head still reeled from the loss of the Huntsman and of the flashbacks of my death. Being away from friends gave me the space I needed.
Emma did a different thing.
I gave a eulogy. A short one, very sweet and definitely honorable one that would make everyone proud of me. Graham would've loved it if he were still alive. The Huntsman would've too.
But Emma? She legit stood up and walked out. Nobody blamed her- it just made the wake awkward.
We hadn't spoken since. Nothing beyond the normal workplace small talk. She said Gold called, asking for us to visit him. Emma started walking to her car before I could even reply.
I followed- barely able to climb in the yellow bug before she drove.
As the door closed, my mind threw me into the memory. The memory of Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire. So even if Emma tried talking to me, I wasn't aware enough to answer.
But my Author. My brain was thirty different types of freaking out.
As I walked into Gold's shop, seeing him sitting at his desk, all I could think about was the little boy in that crib.
Of course the baby was you
How could it have been anyone else?
"Gold! In here?" Emma called out.
"Well, it is my shop." Gold replied.
I'm his mom
Holy fuck I am his mother
Baelfire is my grandson
Oh Author oh Author oh Author-
Emma walked into the back of the store. "Whoa! What is that?"
Startled, I rushed after her. My panic could be put on hold for a few minutes. The smell of lanolin hit me hard. Still, I moved along. It's strong but my inner panic was stronger.
"Oh, this is lanolin- used for waterproofing." Gold explained.
"It smells like livestock." Emma noted.
"It's not that bad." I lied, very convincingly. Moms should be encouraging of their kids' hobbies. Jobs? Former careers? What are the rules for something like this?
Gold grinned at us both. "Well, it is the reason why sheep's wool repels water."
"It stinks." Emma dismissed. Gold and I snickered. "Um, if there was a reason you called the Sheriff's Department... If you want to talk about that quickly-"
Gold stood up. "Yes."
"Or outside." Emma asked.
"Or here. Wherever you want." I replied. Until I figure shit out, I will be supportive. Or wait, was that out of character? Would Gold notice the behavior? Can I write it off as grief over the Huntsman?
"I just wanted to, uh, express my condolences, really." Gold told Emma. She shuffled her feet, sliding her hands in her jacket pockets. "The Sheriff was a good man."
Pain shot through my chest. The scar on my chest twinged with it. A pain so sharp I closed my eyes to adjust to it. Right. Yeah. He died. I failed to save him, and he died in front of me.
The Huntsman was my friend. And a really cool guy. I saw him die on a TV, and knew for months. When the time came, my help didn't matter. It didn't fix anything. He still died remembering all he had to lose.
He counted on me. I let him down.
"Thank you. For the- for that." I replied, fighting back clenched teeth.
"You're still wearing the Deputy's badge." Gold pointed out. I took a breath, bracing myself. Emma glanced down to the badge on her hip. "Well, he's been gone two weeks, now, and I believe that after two weeks of acting as Sheriff, the job becomes yours. You'll have to wear the real badge."
"Yeah, I guess. I'm just not in a hurry." Emma added. "So, um, thank you, too, for the kind words." She started leaving.
As she was my ride, I went after her.
"I have his things."
I stopped walking. Talking. Breathing.
Emma got herself composed first. Wow, I must really be slacking if that's the case. "What?"
Gold walked to the counter. He nodded to the box of belongings on his desk. "The Sheriff. He rented an apartment that I own. Another reason for my call, really."
He pushed the box forward. I walked up to them, eyeing the box with shame and maybe some hidden tears. A harsh bite of my cheek squashed that down. I just found out I had a son and lost a friend, all in the same week.
"You went to his place?" I asked.
Gold nodded. "Well you were a bit...occupied."
Yeah mourning my friend and my dead son
But then that son turned out to be you so I am concerned
"Deputy Swan, I wanted to offer you a keepsake." Gold replied.
"Yeah. He would want you to have something." Coming to the counter, I glanced inside the box. "He wouldn't want these things just...being idle. He liked his things to-" Well that was working me up. "Just take something."
"I don't need anything." Emma dismissed.
"As you wish." Gold pushed the box towards me. "What will you do with the rest? You were the closest thing he had to family."
"Again. The kindest words." Looking in the box, I ignored the smaller objects for now. They could be cried over later. "Emma, come on. Please take something. I can't take it all."
"With how big your house is, yes you can." Emma reminded me.
The sign said 'Peter'
The crib was empty...
"I can't emotionally take all of this." I countered. "Want his jacket? He might like that." Emma said nothing. "Actually no, I want that. This shade of brown is ugly on you. What about this, a cool knick-knack for a shelf? It's ugly. Why did he have this? That's something from Regina, it's gotta be. Hey this was a gift from me, last Christmas."
"How about-" Gold cut me off. He reached into the box, pointing at the walkie-talkies.
Objects I knew were meant to be with Emma and Henry. All the other things...they made me nostalgic. Nostalgic for a life I never lived, that Dr. Mary Beth had before I arrived. For 28 years. A friendship she had with Gold- that Muerte begged for her to have...Gold must know something, yes?
"-these?" Gold pulled out the walkies. He held them out towards Emma.
Emma shook her head, giving us a deadpan stare. "No."
"It doesn't have to be a cop thing. Henry would love them." I reminded her.
Emma stared at them, hesitant. The idea of owning something belonging to Graham clearly upset her...but the idea of having something connecting her to Henry? Oh, that felt just right, I reckon. "I don't-"
"No, please. They...They grow up so fast." Gold offered, holding them out again.
Emma accepted the walkie-talkies. "Thanks."
"You enjoy these with your boy. Your time together is precious, you know?" Gold told her. "That's the thing about children- before you know it, you lose them."
The crib was empty.
Emma held the walkie-talkies close. I turned to them, reaching for the box. Gold gave me a comforting nod.
Which parent are you talking about now?
Muerte didn't even remember you after she died- not for ages.
How much of your childhood did she miss, I wonder?
==BOL==
Emma brought me to Henry's castle.
The box of Graham's belongings sat in the backseat. Emma wanted to see Henry first. Not that I disagreed, this needed to be done. Emma needed to see Henry. She hadn't been able to at the funeral. I myself hadn't seen or spoken to Henry in just as long.
As she walked over, I got the distinct impression that I wasn't invited to them. That's alright. They could bond. I'll just lean against the yellow bug. Mother and son, connecting after ages apart. Totally not taking that personally. Or letting my mind wander.
My memories from my time before the Curse came in waves. More often that not, they tied in with the memories from the episode aired alongside the events. Even if I saw different memories, shortly after everything I saw what Muerte actually did during that time. Usually it was boring day to day life in the Underworld. But I saw her memories, slowly and surely.
Given the memory from this morning, they would all be about Gold becoming the Dark One and Muerte having to watch. With me having to watch. A mother watching her child go Dark...I'm not looking forward to my week.
Worse yet, I'm doing it completely alone. It's not clear to me just how much Gold knows, so I need to play as if he has no idea who I am beyond what he's already said. Not only that but everyone Muerte could lean on (even Mary Beth) was dead. Muerte may be their queen, but I am not. No way am I whipping out a Ouija board for this.
Also- Henry was avoiding me. Not that I blamed him. Even I blamed me. Me, who knew for months and still failed to save him. Me, who killed him with inaction.
Henry had it right. Good always lost.
That's why people like me have to play dirty.
Emma walked back to the car, walkie-talkies still in hand and a lost look on her face. Henry walked away sooner than that.
"I really thought he would take them, just to talk to you." I offered her. "He's not even talking to me-"
Emma held up her hand, shutting me up. "Let's just get back to work."
I nodded. Emma would talk when she was ready. Pushing her wouldn't help.
Pushing Regina would though.
==BOL==
I brought over the sheriff's badge. It was still on Graham when he'd been sent over to me. The badge stayed close, tucked into my Bag like a hidden treasure. A treasure that I knew wasn't mine, so I held tighter to it.
Now it was time to hand it over to Emma.
"Emma 'Inma 'Insert-Middle-Name-Here' Swan." I began, holding up the badge. Emma glared flatly, arms on her hips. She had no care for the ceremony. Let me make this a big deal, Emma, come on! "Though your time at Storybrooke has been short, it has been full. We were sorely lacking without you. So please, on behalf of all Storybrooke, please become our sheriff."
"You're making it sound like marriage." Emma pointed out.
"Well I consider this a lifelong commitment." I reasoned. "More so than being the deputy."
Emma's face twisted into a grimace. As soon as it came, it vanished. Probably because she realized making that face could upset me. She looked at the badge, hesitant. Still she reached out her hand.
"Oh I'm sorry." Regina walked into the station. I gawked at her, offended for interrupting my totally made up but totally important ceremony. "That's not for you."
"I say it is." I argued.
"It's been two weeks- promotion's automatic." Emma reminded the mayor.
Regina walked closer to us. Her heels clacked on our floor. She probably thought it made her cooler. "Unless the Mayor appoints someone else within the time period, which I'm doing today."
I gripped tight to the badge in my hand.
"So, who's it going to be?" Emma asked.
"After due reflection- Sidney Glass." Regina answered.
I laughed, a loud barking laugh that had me clutching my stomach. "Him?! He won't last a week! Hell, he won't make it to the end of his shift!"
"Sidney from the newspaper?" Emma asked. "How does that even make sense?"
"Well, he's covered the Sheriff's Office for as long as anyone can remember." Regina explained.
"And he'll do whatever you want him to." Emma reasoned. "You just cannot stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?"
"Better?" Regina repeated. "Are you referring to Graham's death as 'better'?"
"Hey. Watch." I warned her, glaring dangerously. "He was my friend, not just your latest fling."
Regina glared. "Yet still, died in your arms."
"Are you implying I gave him a heart attack?" I asked her. "That I gave him a heart attack in front of Emma, without being noticed? That I killed Graham, are you saying that, Madame Mayor?"
Regina glared, lips thinning to a harsh line. "He was a good man."
"Better than any of us." I agreed, nodding my head. "He made us safe. He trusted Emma to do the same."
"He was wrong." Regina replied.
"No. He knew what he was doing." Emma started, firm and confident. "He freed this office from your leash. You're not getting it back."
"Actually, I just did. Miss Swan, you're fired." Regina stated. "As for Dr Spencer-"
"You can't fire me, I'm an elected official." I reminded her.
Regina exhaled, glaring at me. She tried smiling, as if she'd won without a hitch. "I am aware. But, I can still start proceedings for you to be replaced."
"What, also by Sidney Glass?" I asked. "Taking pictures of the dead makes him qualified to take them apart?"
Regina continued to grin, smug. "We'll just have to wait and see. Have a good life, Ms Swan." She walked out without another word.
Emma left too, too mad to even say goodbye.
==BOL==
Gold stood beside me, eyeing the briefcase in my grip. "A medical degree and an interest in law. Your Majesty, your skills know no bounds."
"I had centuries to work it up." I replied, curtly. "Also don't call me 'Your Majesty'."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Gold grinned at me.
He's my son. Does he even know?
If he did, would he make fun of my royal title? Does he expect a similar title to be thrown at him?
If I said the wrong thing, would he learn about it? In the episodes I watched, they barely talked about Gold's parents. Season 1 focused more on Swan and the build-up to the Curse. His only family was Baelfire. Is Gold okay hanging out around his mom?
Does he even know who I am?
Fuck this sucks.
In the end, all I did was point a warning finger at him. "No one has broken more laws than you. Don't make me use it."
Gold chuckled. It should've relieved me. Instead all I could do was stress further. Stress never did me well.
We climbed the last of the stairs. I knocked on the door, impatiently.
Emma pulled it open.
"Good evening." I let myself in.
Emma was too confused to stop me. "Sure, come on in."
"Hey there Margaret. You both know Mr Gold." I placed my briefcase on their dining room table. "Thanks for letting us in. We have an opportunity for you."
Mary Margaret started to back away. "I'll let you three talk." She left, as much as leaving the room counted in this small apartment.
Gold walked further in. "Thank you. I, uh... I heard about what happened. Such an injustice."
"Yeah, well, what's done is done." Emma shrugged.
"Spoken like a true fighter." Gold remarked.
"I don't know what chance I have. She's Mayor and I'm, well, me." Emma replied. "Not even for your...opportunity."
"Swan, don't waste your breath." Opening the briefcase, I turned my very serious expression to her. "Three people with a shared goal can accomplish anything- from landing on the moon to overthrowing the Dark Lord. My Plan is just as vicious- and it'll be completely legal."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "I doubt that."
"No no, really. All above board." I assured her. "After Regina left, and after I stopped laughing, I went to Gold. Together we schemed."
"Right. That sounds above board." Emma commented.
"Indeed." I cheered. "See, long ago, I got into a bit of a legal bind. Gold here helpfully volunteered. He's a great benefactor. We've been besties ever since."
Gold kept a straight face, gripping tight to his cane. "You know I hate that word."
"It's why I'll keep using it. Now." Leaning forward on the table, I looked Emma in the eyes. "Tell me, Emma, what is more satisfying? Lying in bed, eating ice cream, letting Regina keep everyone in this town under her high heels which have definitely killed people. Or." I waved to Gold.
Gold took the briefcase. He pulled out the one file inside, leaving the book inside.
"Letting Regina see for herself how people in town think about her?" I asked.
Emma looked between the two of us. "How?"
"You know, it really is quite shocking how few people study the town charter." Gold remarked.
"The town charter?" Emma asked.
"Well, it's quite comprehensive." Gold told her. "And the Mayor's authority? Well, maybe she's not quite as powerful as she seems. So is that a yes to Doctor Spencer's offer?"
Emma paused. "You think it's a good idea?"
I turned my head towards Gold.
Gold grinned. "Her plans always are."
==BOL==
Enchanted Forest
Zoso did not have the best accommodations. To call them accommodations at all might be too kind. One did not give good housing to a well trained pet.
The Duke knew he held Zoso in an iron fist. An unbreakable manner of control. Zoso knew that in turn. Zoso had a room, yes, of the bare minimum needed.
It came lightly stocked as well. Bookshelves with bowls and ingredients, meant for any potions for the Duke. A small scattering of books taken from the library, or from Zoso's own collection over the decades. A blanket over hay in the corner served as his bed, not that he truly ever slept.
It was still a safe place to be free. Zoso often killed anyone who entered unannounced besides the Duke himself.
I walked around the dusty space. No maid dared clean it. Zoso claimed to have better uses for his magic. Besides, a man who welcomed death did not keep a clean house. Even if I would prefer it.
Zoso stared out the window. It was thin, like for archers. No bars. Why would there be? The Duke commanded Zoso, as he pleased.
"That spinner." Zoso commented. "And his boy."
I paused in my steps, looking over my shoulder at him. "Yes?"
"You are worried about them."
I looked out at the bookshelf, eyeing a speck of dust floating towards the bowl. "Yes."
"Why?" Zoso inquired. "Why are you worried about a family of cowards?"
"I thought of all people the Dark One would be able to recognize a desperate soul." I replied. "If he were to die, then you would have no chance."
Zoso glanced over his shoulder at me. He looked out the window again. "When was the boy's birthday?"
"Two days." I answered. "That desperate enough for you? Anything else I should add? Maybe that he's dying of consumption or scurvy."
"You've convinced me." Zoso snapped. "I will visit them soon."
I nodded my head. "Always a pleasure working with you."
Zoso waved his hand, dismissive.
==BOL==
Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire were trying to escape. Not that I blamed them, or thought they should do different.
Running proved their desperation.
That suited my needs just as well.
The woods were dark in the middle of the night. As Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire approached with only a single torch, the woods were quiet. Not even the bugs were awake.
Zoso kept himself to the sides of the road, dressed in old moldy rags from the Duke's dungeon. I stood across from him in the trees.
"It feels wrong to run away." Baelfire admitted.
"It's worse to die, son. I'm not having you taken away to the Ogres' war." Rumplestiltskin argued. He limped down the dirt path.
Zoso stood up. He held out his hands. "Alms for the poor? Alms for the poor?"
Rumplestiltskin panickedly nodded. "Yes." He reached into his cloak, pulling out his coins. Given that the coins belonged to the Duke he was currently escaping, he probably saw no need in keeping them on hand.
Zoso still accepted them. "Oh! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." He knelt back down on the ground, holding the coins close.
Baelfire kept walking with his father. After they passed, Zoso looked up at me. I stared back, quiet and thoughtful.
Does he even know?
Does he know that I did the same for him, running away with my child?
Would it even matter if he did?
What does he stand to gain from learning now?
"Are we sure there's no other way?" Baelfire asked his papa.
"Oh, I can't lose you, Bae." Rumplestiltskin admitted. "You're all I've got left, son."
My heart broke for him. My hands curled the fabric of my dress, bunching it up to have something steady to hold me up. I looked up to the small lantern lighting my son and grandson's faces.
"You don't understand what war is like- what they do to you." Rumplestiltskin shook his head. Even in the dark, I could see how his hands shook on his cane.
Horses approached. My head snapped around to glare in disgust at the approaching knights.
"Quick- hide! In the ditch- hide! Go, go! Go!" Rumplestiltskin tried to push his son away.
Baelfire refused to leave his papa's side.
"Stop right there!" Hordor yelled. He and his two knights approached on horseback, "What are you doing on the King's realm?"
Rumplestiltskin waved a shaking hand to the basket on his arm. "We have some wool to sell at the fair at Longbourne."
Hordor wasn't fooled. "I know you, don't I?" He hopped off his horse. My hand tightened again on my dress. "What was your name? Hm? Spindleshanks? Threadwhistle? Hobblefoot?"
My lips curled back in a snarl. The horses neighed loudly. The two riders could easily calm their steeds. Hordor grabbed the reins, forcing the horse to be silent. I tried to take a deep breath, reminding myself to keep my power close.
Decades with it, I still wasn't quiet used to how magic made animals act. They were always so skittish at sensing my presence.
Baelfire took a step forward, emboldened by his own spirit and the clear lack of skill in Hordor. "His name's Rumplestiltskin."
"Hush, boy!" Rumplestiltskin begged.
"Rumple- Ah, the man who ran." Hordor realized. He pointed to the teenager before him. "Is this your boy? How old is he?" Rumplestiltskin shook his head, panicking again. "What's your name?"
"I'm Baelfire and I'm thirteen." Baelfire answered.
Had sense left the boy?
Did he not remember what happened earlier this very day? His poor friend, dragged away against her parents' sorrowful cries?
Or did he think not being the actual age would save him?
Oh, Bae, they won't care.
People like Hordor never do.
"When's your birthday?" Hordor asked.
"In two days time." Baelfire answered quick.
"Hush, boy!" Rumplestiltskin pleaded.
Hordor laughed, sneering Rumplestiltskin. "Did you teach him how to run as well, Rumplestiltskin?" He turned his attention back on Baelfire. "Did he tell you? Did he tell you how he ran and the ogres turned the tide of the battle, and all the others were killed, and he returned home to a wife who could not bear the sight of him?"
Rumplestiltskin began to hunch, clutching tighter to his cane. "Please..."
Keep it in.
Remember: you are Muerte del Castillo.
"You see, women do not like to be married to cowards." Hordor explained to Baelfire.
"Please don't speak to my boy like that." Rumplestiltskin whimpered.
Queen of the Underworld.
"It's treason to avoid service. Take the boy now." Hordor instructed.
Everyone comes to my kingdom eventually.
The knights started to climb off their horses.
Rumplestiltskin stepped between them and his son. "No, no, no, no! What do you want?"
Hordor chuckled. "What do I want? You have no money, no influence, no land, no title, no power. The truth is, all you really have is fealty." He stomped until he was closer to Rumplestiltskin. "Kiss my boot."
Everyone like him has a stay in my palace
I haven't gotten rid of all of Hades' things yet. There could be use in them, against Hordor
Rumplestiltskin's lip trembled as he tried to speak. "I don't understand-"
"You asked my price. Kiss. My. Boot." Hordor repeated.
Rumplestiltskin shook his head. The glow from the lantern and the knights' fires made it easy to see his tears. "Not in front of my boy."
"Kiss. My. Boot!" Hordor ordered.
Hades had a lot of good tools.
I will check them to see what would work best against him.
Rumplestiltskin quickly fell to his knees. He crawled forward, kneeling further to better reach Hordor's boot.
Or for what would humiliate the beast the most.
Hordor and his knights laughed.
He deserves only the worst for this.
Hordor pulled his boot back. He kicked Rumplestiltskin in the stomach.
"Papa!"
The horses let out loud screeches. As their rides held tight to them, the horses dashed away. Hordor had to act fast to jump on his horse's saddle.
Zoso stood up. He rushed to me, throwing leaves at me.
I was so offended, I reeled back. "YOU DID NOT JUST DO THAT!"
His magic lashed out at me next. I teleported away, to the other side of the path.
"LEAVES?! ARE YOU JOKING?!" I roared.
The trees around us began to shake. A large breeze blew by, the kind of wind from a large storm.
"No, no, no! No! It's okay." Zoso assured the father and son. He held out his arm. "Let me help you. Let me help you home."
Baelfire nodded. "Thank you, old man." He grabbed their meager belongings.
Zoso held Rumplestiltskin by the arm. It helped steady him to his feet.
"I don't have any money to pay you." Rumplestiltskin replied. His voice shook from pain or embarrassment. Probably both.
"I can think of another way. You just leave me whatever you can spare, and I'll find a way to be your benefactor." Zoso replied. The trees calmed. "Come."
The trio walked back up from the way they came.
We had a keeper.
Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire would be safe.
I couldn't handle anything else.
==BOL==
Time passed. A full day, gone and away. Rumplestiltskin wasn't well after being kicked full force by a boot. I tried to make a soup- Zoso took the credit and used magic on it. Apparently my soup wasn't good enough.
Traitor.
Baelfire fretted the whole day at his father's side. Not that I blamed him, in fact I was no better. Making the soup was the only time I left Rumplestiltskin's side.
Maybe it affected his health to have death literally hanging over him.
Whatever.
Baelfire fell asleep, exhausted from worry for his far. I sat at his bedside to brush hair from his face. He was turned away from his father and Zoso. Neither would notice.
Well Zoso did.
He just ignored me.
"Another day gone. There'll be no fleeing, now." Rumplestiltskin fretted.
"No. You need to find another way." Zoso insisted. "You need to choose a different path."
Rumplestiltskin laughed, nervous and squirrely. "Choose? What choice do I have?"
"Everyone has a choice." Zoso argued.
"I'm the town coward. The only choice I have is which corner to hide in." Rumplestiltskin looked towards his son, sleeping soundly. "I'm lame, friendless... The only thing I've got is my boy. And they're going to take him away from me." His lip trembled as he spoke. I stood up from Baelfire's bedside to sit beside Rumplestiltskin. "If they take him away, I would truly, truly become dust."
My hand reached up.
Zoso raised his hand, knocking mine away. He changed the gesture for Rumplestiltskin's sake. He pointed his hand at Rumplestiltskin. "Not if you have power."
Rumplestiltskin laughed. "You may as well say diamonds."
"Get a hold of yourself!" Zoso snapped. "Think. Why do you think that someone as powerful as the Dark One would work for a useless fool like the Duke of the Frontlands?"
Rumplestiltskin considered that. Though he may be frail in body, my son was sharp in the mind. "Tell me."
"The Duke has the Dark One in thrall." Zoso explained. He leaned close, revealing a deep secret between himself and Rumplestiltskin. "He's enslaved him with the power of a mystical dagger and on the blade is written a name- the true name of the Dark One. If you steal the dagger, then you would control the Dark One yourself. And then no one would be able to take your son away from you."
Rumplestiltskin could not consider this offer. He shook his head, horrified. "To keep a man like the Dark One as a slave? No, I... I-I can't. I'd be terrified."
"Then, perhaps, instead of controlling the power, you need to take it." Zoso offered.
That, Rumplestiltskin could do.
Not long after, Zoso made to leave. He told Rumplestiltskin all he needed to get inside the Duke's fortress. Rumplestiltskin could handle it from here.
Zoso teleported away as soon as he stepped out of the cabin. I teleported after him. His new location was no surprise.
He glared at me. Fires lit up from torches, casting orange light around the Dark One's small room.
I raised my eyebrow at him.
Zoso continued to glare. He wouldn't get me to talk first.
I blinked, feigning disinterest.
"Go on." Zoso snapped. "You've been trying to get attention. Why so quiet now?"
"I have a feeling you're not in a talking mood." I replied.
Zoso laughed, short and crazed. "Talking? Did I say you wanted to talk? No. I said you wanted attention. Tell me: how often has your rage startled horses? Shook trees?"
I kept my body still. He did not get the reward for my reaction.
Still Zoso smiled. "This coward, his son, I've never seen you like this."
"You're so close to getting what you want. Why wouldn't I be excited?" I asked.
"And I'm not the only one getting what I want, am I?" Zoso countered. I couldn't reply. He was fucking right. "You don't care that I'm dying, you care who gains the power after me. You're so insistent that it's him."
"It is. Nobody else in this village would satisfy you." I replied.
"Oh I disagree." Zoso laughed. "I could give the power to Hordor right now."
"You're not stupid enough to do that." I countered. "Or you'd have done that years ago."
Zoso shook his head. "True. But you put my attention on this coward. I realized it at the cabin. Your care towards that boy." He leaned forward. I glared at him, warning him not to push it. "How long have you been dead again?"
"You can't die." I reminded him. "But I can make you wish for it."
Zoso laughed.
Madmen weren't worth my time.
Besides, I need to see what Hades has left behind that can still be used.
==BOL==
Storybrooke
Emma told Regina, and the press, that she would run for sheriff. The charter did state quite clearly that Regina could only appoint a candidate, not the actual sheriff themself. Now Emma Swan and Sidney Glass were running for sheriff.
Elections in small towns were always so fun.
Though I wanted to stay with Gold for the moment, there was a more pressing issue to check in with first.
Henry.
The boy suffered a lot with what was going on. Regina's first move hadn't even waited a full day- or for the current one to be over. She sent out Sidney as soon as the press conference finished to release a new press statement.
All about the new opponent running for sheriff.
One of the kids heard from someone- who heard from someone and another someone, who showed him the paper before he even got on the bus home.
Henry agreed to meet me at the diner.
"Dude, this is actually hard core." I told him. "Think about it. You were born in jail. How awesome is that? You get instant street cred with this."
Henry looked down at the paper. "If it's true."
"The rumor mill doesn't care about the truth. Neither should Henry Mill."
Henry frowned. He reached for his hot cocoa. "No offense but that was really bad."
"Yeah...not my best work. I've been pressed for time." I admitted. "My best friend just found out he was born in jail, gimme some slack."
"No." Henry replied.
I pouted. He drank more hot cocoa. The frown never left his face even once.
The door to the diner opened. Emma Swan walked in. She saw us, making a beeline for our booth. "How was school?" She asked Henry.
Henry kept his attention on the newspaper. "Okay."
Emma glanced at Henry's face. Then she looked at me. I grimaced, shaking my head at her. "You're reading that paper pretty hard."
"Sidney wrote it." Henry flipped the paper around to show the main headline. It came with Emma's mugshot from a few weeks ago. 'Ex-Jailbird- Emma Swan birthed babe behind bars'. "Is it a lie?"
Emma's face fell. "No."
"I was born in jail?" Henry asked.
"Yes. These records were supposed to be sealed." Emma insisted. Henry lowered the paper, turning the warm mug in his hands. "Tell me you're not scarred for life."
"I'm not. Well, not by this." Henry admitted.
"I told him it's pretty cool." I added. "Who else can say they were born in jail? This is gonna be great for the middle school angst phase." Emma glared at me. "What? I'm right."
"Then, let's throw this out and we will get our news from something more reliable." Emma took the paper, folding it up to tuck it into her jacket pocket. "Like the internet."
Henry shook his head. "This is what I've been trying to tell you- good can't be evil, because good doesn't do this kind of thing. My mom plays dirty- that's why you can't beat her. Ever."
"I have a new ally." Emma explained. "Mary Beth got Mr. Gold to help."
Henry's eyes bugged. "Mr. Gold? He's even worse than she is." He shook his head. "You already owe him one favor. You don't want to owe him any more. Don't do this."
"Mary Beth is his best friend." Emma pointed out.
"Are you looking to me for moral advice? That's a bad call." I reminded her.
"So you're saying I shouldn't?" Emma asked.
"I'm saying you want a good reputation to get the people behind you...so consider how it looks being backed by everyone's landlord." I reminded her.
Emma got it. "But you said-"
"He helped. You can just tell everyone I did. People are starting to like me." I replied. "It's all pity from Graham being dead, but it's there. Publically, I'm the one backing you, not him. Gold is a friend, and I'll stand with him for a lot, but even I know he's not always the right guy on my side. You get him in your corner, and then tell nobody about the corner. I gotta go with H-man on this. It'll do more harm than good."
Cause even though she was Muerte del Castillo
I'm Morgan Spencer.
Gold isn't my son.
He was her's.
A son from a life that I never lived.
So Muerte's feelings don't apply to me, no matter how much it hurts.
==BOL==
Enchanted Forest
Baelfire's birthday was tomorrow.
They would try to take another one of my boys into their bloody fucking war.
Not again
Hell no- never again.
Baelfire stoked the fire. Rumplestiltskin kept spinning the wool around a long torch. "Keep that fire good and stoked, Bae. The sheep's fat needs to be liquid and get that wool good and soaked."
"Why are we doing this, Papa?" Baelfire asked. "This is good wool. We can spin and sell-"
"These are our keys to the castle, son. And once I'm inside- something I have to take." Rumplestiltskin gave his son an eager smile. A kind unoften seen on his face.
Baelfire noticed that too. If it made his papa happy, then it must be something good. My magic went to the fire. It kept it going- hot and steady. "What do you need to take?" Baelfire asked.
"That old beggar? He told me a fine tale- about the Duke and his magical dagger." Rumplestiltskin began.
"What does it do?" Baelfire asked.
"If I own that dagger, I control the Dark One. If I kill the Dark One with the dagger, I take his powers." Rumplestiltskin revealed.
Baelfire's eyes widened. "By god's name."
"Imagine me with those powers. Can you imagine me with those powers, Bae?" Rumplestiltskin asked his son. "I could get to redeem myself. I could turn it towards good. I'll save all the children of the Frontlands- not just you, my boy."
"I'd love to see that, but if the law says I'm to fight, I... I can fight." Baelfire offered.
Rumplestiltskin stared at the boy with wide eyes. Hell, I did too! The poor boy was just so young. Rumplestiltskin and I worked to keep him safe- too safe, it seemed. He knew nothing about how the world worked. Not towards people like him and his father, not for people like the Duke or the knights like Hordor. Baelfire had this...this pure hope. Hope in the goodness of people.
I wanted him to hold onto it...but the boy was almost fourteen. He was practically a man. He needed to see it. He couldn't keep hiding behind the veils we put up for him. Was it a failure on our part, keeping him sheltered? Or a success on Baelfire's, for being so optimistic against all this darkness?
"No, no, no! The law doesn't want you to fight, son. The law wants you to die." Rumplestiltskin explained. "That's not battle- that's sacrifice, son. You look at that red in the sky." He pointed towards the horizon.
The skyline did indeed bleed red. Not from sunset, or sunrise. A dark blood red. All day, it didn't change. Whether it had rain or sun, red painted the sky. For the village of the Frontlands, there was no question as to why.
"That's not the... The fires of the battlefields- that's the blood of our people, son. It's the blood of children. The blood of children like you." Rumplestiltskin explained. Baelfire looked out. The sky reflected back on his eyes. I turned away from it. "I mean, what sane person would want to get involved with that?"
Baelfire looked back at his papa."So, it's true."
"What?" Rumplestiltskin asked.
"It's true. It's true you ran." Baelfire replied.
Rumplestiltskin shook his head. "I had no choice, son."
"And Mother?" Baelfire asked. I sneered, disgusted. "Did she leave you like the knight said? You told me she was dead."
Rumplestiltskin lowered his head. He kept spinning the wool around the torch, harsh and curt. "She is dead."
Baelfire's jaw clenched. "So, what do we need to do?"
"The Duke's castle is made of stone, but the floors and the rafters are made of wood." Rumplestiltskin explained.
Baelfire blinked. "Why does that matter?"
"Because wood burns." Rumplestiltskin grinned at his son.
==BOL==
Storybrooke
So the Mayor's office was on fire.
In my defense, I did not cause it. I just left the man unsupervised.
I'm not his keeper. Just his mom...in a past life. No big deal. It's fine. Ignoring it would be no issue. Instead, I sat at home looking around the baby nursery.
A totally normal, non-weird thing for me.
...anyway.
Like I said. The Mayor's office was on fire. Someone from the fire department called me to get me over there. I grabbed Henry from his house, driving him over there. Honestly, Gold is just lucky that Henry had been home when this happened.
Fire trucks were surrounding the building. A crowd gathered outside, watching the fire from a safe distance.
My car hadn't even fully parked before Henry rushed out of it. I chased after him. Yes, I knew everyone was okay. That didn't mean it would be okay for Henry to go running into the fire too. His mom already did that.
Fuck, this family was stupid.
They need my genes. My son hadn't been stupid. He waited for the perfect time to set the fire. Rumple was smart-
-and not my actual child. He was the son of Muerte. I'm Morgan.
I caught Henry. Emma and Regina were easily spotted in the crowd. Regina, surrounded by paramedics. Emma, speaking with firefighters.
"See? There she is." I assured the young boy. "Both of them are still alive."
Henry swallowed, nervously looking between the two women.
"Why don't we ask someone what happened?" I asked him. "These people have been here longer than us. They would know more. Okay?"
Henry nodded.
The two of us walked around to the large crowd of people. It didn't take long for us to hear what happened. Everyone in the crowd was talking about it. Emma Swan saving Mayor Regina Mills from the fire, braving the flames to get her out alive. A very brave, very good story.
Henry ran up to the firemen. They'd finally put out the fire so Henry could ask the question his young heart desired. "Did Emma really rescue my mom?"
The fireman nodded.
Henry beamed. He turned to me with a wide smile. It reminded me of Baelfire's. "Did you hear that, Mary Beth? My mom is a superhero."
"Yeah. She is." I ruffled the kid's hair. Henry knocked my hand aside.
The two of us joined the large crowd. Everyone started gathering around Emma.
Mary Margaret "Did you really rescue Regina?" Mary Margaret asked.
"She did! The fireman said it. They saw it." Henry cherered.
"You are a hero." Ruby praised.
"A couple photographers were here. One of them definitely has a picture of the rescue!" I suggested.
Granny pointed her finger at me. "We could make campaign posters."
"Oh, people would love that!" Archie cheered. "That's a great idea."
Everyone else walked away. I stayed behind, keeping watch of Henry. Regina couldn't do it with paramedics all around her.
"This is how good wins." Emma told Henry. "You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you."
Henry smiled. "Maybe you're right."
"You see, Henry? We don't have to fight dirty." Emma assured him.
Yet even as she said this, Emma spotted something in the burnt rubble. The building still held up. Lucky for everyone that they'd been doing renovations anyway. The rubble could easily be cleared away. Such as the roll of fabric Emma lifted from the fire.
Fabric wasn't the only thing that burned. Emma turned those bright green eyes on me. The look scalded me to the core.
==BOL==
Emma dragged me behind her. I stumbled, barely keeping up with her. She pushed the door open to Gold's shop.
"Loads of visitors today." Gold remarked. He put down the item he was cleaning. "Do hope you're not going to break my little bell."
"You set the fire." Emma accused.
"I've been right here, Miss Swan." Gold replied. He eyed me. "Why are you holding Doctor Spencer like that?"
"Because she's involved!" Emma snapped. She held out the burnt roll of fabric. "Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep crap oil. Turns out it's flammable."
"Oh. Are you sure? There's some construction working on at City Hall at the moment. There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction." Gold countered easily.
"That's what I said!" I argued. Emma glared at me. It shut me up.
Emma kept glaring at me as she asked Gold "Why did you do it?"
"'If' I did it." Gold corrected. "If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, uh… Oh, I don't know. Being the hero in a fire?"
"How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?" Emma asked.
"Maybe Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town." Gold replied. "Or maybe…I'm just intuitive– were I involved. Now, would you let Doctor Spencer go before you bruise her arm."
"No." Emma snapped. "Because that's not how this works."
"He's got a good point-ow!" I yelped. Emma squeezed tighter on my arm. "Come on! What's the harm done? You saved Regina."
"I can't go along with this." Emma stated.
"Then why steal the evidence?" I asked her, nodding to the burnt roll of fabric in her hands. "Didn't even bag it, or wear gloves. You grabbed it and ran. Why? Leaving it behind would make a better case against Gold. How will you present your evidence without implicating yourself?"
Indecision crossed her face. Her hold loosened on my arm. I could wrench it free from her.
"This is just the price of election, Miss Swan." Gold told her.
"A price I'm not willing to pay. Find another sucker." Emma scolded.
"Okay, go ahead– expose me. But if you do, just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be walking away from." Gold warned her.
Emma marched to the exit.
"Oh, yes. And, um...who you might be disappointing." Gold finished, forebodingly.
Emma paused in the door. She did leave, closing the door with a harsh glare.
"Be right back." I told Gold, running after Emma. "Emma! Emma wait-"
"Don't talk to me!" Emma scolded. She stomped towards her yellow bug. "You told me to trust him!"
"You don't trust anybody!" I argued. "And it was more about trusting me than trusting Gold! I thought we'd built up a good enough bridge for that kind of teamwork!"
Emma shook her head. "I can't believe I went along with this. All your ideas do is get me or the people I cared about it trouble."
"No they don't! They really, really don't!" I replied. Emma opened the door to her car. "I understand the fear you're feeling. Fear that something might've gone wrong. That Gold's plan relied too much on people's reactions. But that's just how Gold works. It always has been."
"For as long as you've known him." Emma held back on climbing in her car. She glared at me instead. "How long is that?"
"Longer than this curse." I answered, easily.
"What's the truth?" Emma asked. "The real truth. Don't bring up that curse. How d0 you know Gold?"
I swallowed. My hands fretted with my jean pockets, trying to hide the awkward fiddling. Emma could tell the truth- tell it from the lies. Could it be worked around? If not, I would be in real trouble. "I just- It-" I bit my lip. "It's like I said. He got me out of a bind."
That 'bind' happened to be doing chores. Mom let me out of them to watch this show, only if I watched it with my brothers too. A hurdle, but I allowed it. I could watch it alone later. But that's honestly how I met Gold.
Will this work for your powers, Emma?
How close to the truth does it need to be?
"What kind of bind?" Emma asked.
"A-A family bind. I don't wanna talk about it." I snapped. My hands slipped out of my pockets, instead wrapping around my middle. In my chest, my heart pounded against my chest. The questions were reminding me too much about my home, my original world. I came to Storybrooke to avoid them. Can't they just be ignored for a little while longer? "Can you just drop it?"
"Fine. I will." Emma climbed into her car.
My eyes widened. "Wait-"
She slammed the door. She drove off, leaving me in the dust.
"Emma!" I called out.
Emma kept on.
I cursed under my breath. Did I screw this up? Or was everything still going to Plan?
How the fuck am I supposed to get home?
==BOL==
Enchanted Forest
The fire raged.
I grinned. A pity that nobody would die in the flames.
Rumplestiltskin found the treasure room. The flames reached there too. I worked subtle magic to make sure the flames avoided him.
A large pillar tried to fall on him. I blew a breeze. Rumplestiltskin stumbled forward, barely catching himself with his cane. The pillar fell behind him, rolling over the flames. That fall and breeze knocked over a flag, one blocking the location of the Dark One dagger.
Rumplestiltskin walked over to the wall.
He picked up the dagger.
I gasped. Fear or pride, it wasn't clear what feeling welled up in my chest.
My magic couldn't reasonably hold the flames back anymore. I made sure Rumplestlitskin would have a clear path out (not too clear for him to become suspicious) before teleporting away.
Zoso had been ordered to stop the flames. To keep up appearances, he did so. He turned over to me. I nodded at him. Beneath his hood, I could barely spot Zoso's made grin.
==BOL==
Storybrooke
The first and only debate for the election was about to begin. It was a good sign to me that Emma still wanted to go through with this. Her desire to be a hero to Henry outweighed any inner desire to piss me or Gold off.
Gold and I walked in together. The audience didn't notice our arrival. Emma, peeking out through the curtains, did.
I waved. Emma closed the curtain, ignoring us.
Totally didn't affect me at all.
==BOL==
Enchanted Forest
Rumplestiltskin walked out from the forest. He spotted his son, beaming.
Baelfire saw him too. He stood up from the forest floor. "Papa!"
Rumplestiltskin beamed at his child. "Oh, Bae." He pulled the boy in for a hug.
"I was so worried for you." Baelfire admitted. He stepped back to look over his father. "Are... Are you burned? The castle-"
"I'm fine, son. I'm fine." Rumplestiltskin assured. 'I made sure of it.' "I need you to go home and wait for me there."
"Come with me- please. I have a bad feeling." Baelfire pleaded.
"Bae, this is something I have to do on my own." Rumplestiltskin instructed. "Go home, son! Go home and wait for me, Bae. I'll be back. You go."
Baelfire gulped. Still, he retreated down the path.
I stood in the middle, watching Rumplestiltskin. He waited until Baelfire was far enough away to pull out the blade. The curved dagger shimmered in the light of his torch.
"Zoso." Rumplestiltskin read off. He held the dagger higher, letting it shimmer in the fire. "Zoso. I summon thee!"
Zoso appeared behind him. Not that Rumplestiltskin noticed, so focused on the dagger. After waiting a long while, Rumplestiltskin turned back. He screamed. He dropped his torch.
It kept him from seeing Zoso's face.
"You were asking for me?" Zoso asked.
I rolled my eyes at his dramatics.
"Submit, Dark One! I control you!" Rumplestiltskin ordered.
"Yes, you do. Wield the power wisely." Zoso cautioned. Rumplestiltskin hesitated. "You can wield at any time now. It's almost dawn. That means it's your son's birthday. I bet Hordor and his men are already on their way to your house."
Rumplestiltskin's light brown eyes teared up. "No, they can't take him."
"You don't control them- you control me." Zoso reminded him. It made Rumplestiltskin quiet. "Have you ever wondered- was he really your child at all? Unlike you, he's not a coward and yearns to fight and die in glory."
I glared. The trees began to shake. Zoso grinned.
Baelfire was his.
I would know- before all others.
That's his son.
Rumplestiltskin gave a small shake of his head. "No."
He turned his grin towards me. I'm sure Rumplestiltskin believed that the Dark One was mad, or that all of this was an effect of his power.
"What a poor bargain that would be- to lay down your soul to save your bastard son." Zoso replied. The trees shook, tilting at the weight of the breeze. "So, I ask you- what would you have me do?"
Rumplestiltskin grit his teeth. "DIE!"
He lashed out at the Dark One. The curved dagger stuck into Zoso's chest. Now it was my turn to grin. Zoso screamed out, falling down to the dirt. Rumplestiltskin followed him down. He still held the dagger in his fists.
"It's you. You're the beggar." Rumplestiltskin realized.
"Looks like you made a deal you didn't understand." Zoso laughed. "I don't think you're going to do that again."
"You told me to kill you." Rumplestiltskin squeezed the blade, trying to pull the dagger out. Magic stuck it in it's place.
"My life was such a burden." Zoso explained. "You'll see. Magic always comes with a price and now, it's yours to pay."
"Why me? Why me?" Rumplestiltskin begged.
Zoso grinned in my direction. "I know how to recognize a desperate soul." He grunted, still finding a way to giggle. "Goodbye, old friend."
Zoso, the Dark One, died.
"No! No!" Rumplestiltskin pleaded. "Stay! You have to tell me what to do! Tell me what to do!"
"You already know what to do." I told him.
Rumplestiltskin jumped back, rolling off the Dark One's body. The blade stayed stuck in his hand. "W-Who are- what is-"
It was odd to have him stare at me. Still, it's what I wanted for decades. Now that I was being presented with the moment all I could do was return his stare.
"Hello, Rumplestiltskin." I managed to say. With a sweeping bow, I walked closer to him. "I am La Muerte del Castillo, Queen of the Underworld. I have served by the Dark One's side for many years, providing aid and counsel when asked."
He still stared at me in shock. "You- When did you get here?"
"Just now. I am a ghost. Yes. Only you can see me." I explained dutifully. "Now I, Death, shall follow you all of your days. Dark One."
Rumplestiltskin looked at the blade still in his hands. The name had since faded. Instead, sitting across the blade, a word written in magic. Ink, black against the silver. His own name.
His destiny had been to end wars...
==BOL==
Storybrooke
"Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faced with this decision." Archie told the crowd. "And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote your conscience. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the candidates- Sidney Glass and Emma Swan. Glass. Swan. Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy."
I was the only one that laughed.
Archie grimaced. "Wow, crickets. Okay, uh... Uh, Mr. Glass- your opening statement." Archie stepped back, hiding back to give the candidates the stage.
Sidney went up first to the podium. "I just want to say that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty, neighborliness, and strength. Thank you." He sat back down in his chair.
Archie took the podium again. "And Emma Swan."
Emma walked up. I gave her a smile. She braced herself, leaning forward to the microphone. "You guys all know I have what they call a, uh...troubled past. But, you've been able to overlook it because of the, um...hero thing."
Emma met my eyes. I tried giving an encouraging, proud smile. The kind of smile that said 'whatever you pick, it's good by me.' It might've come across as smug. My bad. Faces are hard.
Emma braced herself. She gripped to the podium. Her expression softened, a type of vulnerability I don't think many in town have seen from her yet.
"But here's the thing- the fire was a setup. Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire." Emma revealed.
The crowd started muttering to each other. The ones sitting closest to Gold and I looked our way. I kept smiling, proud of Emma. Gold let all the reactions slide off him.
"I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure." Emma kept going. "And the worst part of all this was- the worst part of all this is- I let you all think it was real. And I can't win that way. I'm sorry."
Look at you.
Standing up for what's right, even if it costs you.
What kid wouldn't be proud of a mom like that?
==BOL==
Emma won.
Regina tried to say it was a close race. That didn't fly by me. Emma won, and she won by a lot.
Emma won.
Good won.
I stood outside Granny's Diner. Many voters trickled into the diner to congratulate the new town sheriff. Gold and I walked across from it.
"I can assume the sheriff wouldn't appreciate us congratulating her." Gold remarked.
"No." I replied, fidgeting with my Bag's strap. "She's gonna spend every 9-5 with me for a long while. She should have a break."
Gold grinned. "Regina will retaliate."
"She tried. She failed. She'll try again, fail again." I replied. "Bad always does."
"Oddly naive of you." Gold replied. "We're hardly good."
"Then I guess a better way of saying it is...justice wins." I clarified. "It can take a long time, but it will."
"Every time?" Gold asked. "That I question."
"It came for you." I reminded him. "Time and time again, it worked out for you. It's...inevitable."
Gold considered that. He gave me a slow nod. "Figures. Everything is inevitable for you."
"Yeah?"
"Death waits for no man, and all that." Gold replied.
That made me smile.
'Cause I waited for one man. One boy, waiting for him to grow up.'
...what the fuck was that?
==BOL==
Enchanted Forest
It took a long time for us to return to the village. The sun had already risen, hours passed since Rumplestiltskin claimed the Dark One's magic for himself.
The magic changed him in many ways. As the power settled itself into him. His skin shifted, resembling Zoso's. As the Dark One, Zoso had skin like a dying fish, covered in shimmering oily scales that were half decomposed on his face. They got worse the more Zoso wished for death.
Rumplestiltskin did not wish for death. Or rather, did not wish for his own death. He wished for the death of others. Rumplestiltskin had scales, as Zoso did. Rumplestiltskin's skin was thick and rugged, reflective in green and gold. Shimmering with the magic building up inside.
People looked at him for decades, and they said they knew everything about him. They took what they saw so they could look down on him. Rumplestiltskin wanted people to see the Dark One, to be afraid. To never ignore him, or belittle him again.
I sat by his side, watching the transformation take place.
I waited.
The time didn't matter, not anymore. Rumplestiltskin would turn to me, acknowledging me as the magic poured into him. Every now and again, he would ask questions. In the moment, I answered as best I could. Now, all those questions and answers happened in a blur.
He could see me.
Nothing mattered beyond that.
Then we realized the sun had come up.
That mattered. That mattered a lot.
The knights were waiting outside of Rumplestiltskin's cabin. Hordor and his knights were inside. They left the cabin, a silent Baefire in their grip.
Hordor chuckled. "Everyone's watching from behind their curtains today."
A knight fell. Rumplestiltskin pulled the dagger from their back.
I smiled. Walking up, I knelt by his side. Blood pooled around him. None of it touched my black dress.
The knights kneeled. Horror did so in panic. "Dark One."
I chuckled. None except Rumplestiltskin reacted to my laughter. He giggled, high pitched and bubbly.
Horror was unnerved. He looked up to meet Rumplestiltskin's eyes. "No... Who are you?"
"Have you forgotten me already?" Rumplestiltskin asked Hordor. "What was it you used to call me again? Spindleshanks?"
"Hobblefoot was a popular one." I reminded him, stepping close to the horse.
The horse flinched, nearly letting loose the rider.
"Ah yes. Hobblefoot." Rumplestiltskin replied. "I wondered what frightened the horses."
"Papa?" Baelfire gasped, voice trembling.
Hordor realized what he faced. The Dark One's blade dangled from Rumplestiltskin's hand. It dripped in the fresh blood as his fallen comrade. "Rumplestiltskin."
"He doesn't even know your name." I stated. Standing up, I walked to Hordor. Circling him, I narrowed my eyes. "He just knows how to read."
"Wonderful." Rumplestiltskin replied. "And now, you shall know me as the new Dark One. How about a little fealty?"
He pushed out his boot. Zoso's blood king since crusted on the soles.
"Kiss my boot." Rumplestiltskin ordered.
Hordor moved to do so.
Rumplestiltskin grabbed him by the collar. Before Hordor could stop him, Rumplestiltskin pushed the dagger in his heart.
I giggled.
"No, Papa!" Baelfire screamed.
Rumplestiltskin quickly dispatched with the rest of the knights. He stood among the corpses. I stayed to the side, magic twisting around my fingers.
"Papa? What has happened to you?" Baelfire asked.
"You're safe, Bae. Do you feel safe, son?" Rumplestiltskin asked.
Baelfire shook his head. "No. I'm frightened."
"I'm not." Rumplestiltskin replied. "I protected what belongs to me and I'm not scared of anything. Not even death."
Exactly.
==BOL==
Storybrooke
Emma walked in her new office. I walked up, keeping a quiet step. Emma looked up at the cost rack. A familiar jacket sat there.
"I decided it would look cool on you." I admitted.
Emma jumped. She reached for her weapon, stopping when she realized it was me. "You do know I'm armed, right?"
"Sorry. Quiet feet." I explained. Leaning against the door, I grinned. "So...we good?"
Emma paused, considering. "Haven't made up my mind yet."
"Understood." I nodded. "Gold wanted to come by. I convinced him I was a better messenger."
"What did Gold want?" Emma asked.
"He'd probably say something about the favor you owe him. He's an ass like that." I replied. "Or about how he knew you would turn against him in front of the town. Defying Regina? Nah that's small potatoes. Defying Gold? You'd be a hero...a savior."
Emma gawked at me. "There is no way he planned that."
"I told you. He's an asshole like that." I repeated. "Likes to think Storybrooke is a chess board, and he's got all the little pieces doing what he wants."
"Why did you do this?"
"Hmm?"
"Go along with this. With Gold. If he's so bad, why are you still his friend? Let alone helping him." Emma asked.
"Graham wanted you as sheriff. What happened to him...the way he...it made that idea hurt. So I needed you...to want it. As much as Graham did. To make you feel like a sheriff, that wanted to do good." I explained.
"And helping Gold?"
"It made you sign on for the election. Telling you he wasn't a straight forward guy was- actually you should already know that, from the whole thing with Ashley." I reminded her. "But it paid off. You saw something wrong happening, and exposed him. That took guts. The kind you need to be a sheriff."
"That still doesn't answer my question." Emma asked.
"Duh." I snorted. "I'm also a huge asshole."
Emma rolled her eyes, shaking her head. She couldn't hide the grin on her face.
"I deal with the dead, Emma." I added. "I don't like thinking people can be only good or only bad. Good, bad, it's not all clear cut like Henry believes. Sometimes there's gray- wiggle room. Sometimes you gotta get your hands a little dirty to get justice done."
==BOL==
Underworld
Hordor gasped as he stood up.
My hand grabbed his shoulder. "Hordor, of the Frontlands. Nice to meet you again."
He turned to face me. I held up one of the enchanted items from Hades' collection.
"I'm Hobblefoot's mother."
Then he screamed.
==BOL==
AN: This took so long, and I am sorry. I started a full time job and things just got away from me. As I finally started writing this chapter, I got really sick. It wasn't covid, just a cold. But like...bleh.
Also Morgan/Muerte's birthday is tomorrow so...yay!
Thanks to pax0019, just. . , HufflePunk22, Blu3b3rryT3a, obesesloth27, lartoli25, yukicarr, LoyalBookster, Babygirl kaira, Blu3b3rryT3a, aki-blood-dark-princess, mourningstxr, Kaie27 , LoyalBookster, and yukicarr for favoriting
Thanks to blackangel365, pax0019, Mata-NuiXIII, assiryah, LucyHeartFeelMeUp, lartoli25, HufflePunk22, ladyby16, Blu3b3rryT3a, ShikiRiian, yukicarr, LoyalBookster, ladyby16, Blu3b3rryT3a, ShikiRiian, aki-blood-dark-princess, mourningstxr, LoyalBookster, and yukicarr for following