Author's note: Thank you to all of my readers for your support over the years. You have probably waited about a year for this posting, and I just want to let you know I haven't forgotten- I'm just slow. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy my efforts!
Special shoutout to Tiggyblue and 1 Jagged Outlaw Queen for being my friends on this site and off!
The Land Without Magic
Storybrooke, 2001
To the children born under the curse, the evil queen was a myth: a nightmarish and horrifying legend meant to instill in them an intense fear of the dark. They had listened, wide-eyed in their beds, as their parents spun frightful stories of the monstrous Queen Regina and her gruesome reign, too terrified to go to sleep. The older children, meanwhile, would have dreams of the monarch drenched in blood and growling in delight, feeding off their helpless bodies with fervor. Yet they were told, repeatedly, that as long as they remained inside after sundown, they were safe and had nothing to worry about. Vampires had to be invited in.
It didn't matter that the queen had died shortly before the curse was cast- the townspeople were convinced that she clawed her way out of the mausoleum every night in search of her next meal, forever seeking vengeance against those responsible for her death. Therefore, the aforementioned mausoleum and the woods surrounding it were taboo, as most were too superstitious to go near it. Most.
Boston, Massachusetts
Tufts Medical Center, 2001
Hundreds of miles from Storybrooke, a young newlywed couple were about to bring their first child into the world. Eighteen year-old Emma Swan had met twenty year-old Neal Cassidy Mills as a freshman at Northeastern University and was immediately charmed by his charisma and slightly rebellious nature. They began dating her second year, to the disapproval of her parents, and married shortly after her graduation. With hardly any money from their post-graduate internships, they moved into an apartment in Lower Roxbury and made it work. A few months later, Emma became pregnant and quit her job as a novice bail bond agent to prepare for the baby's arrival.
When the day came, Neal was more nervous than Emma was. He had all but herded his wife into their vintage yellow Volkswagen beetle and floored it to the hospital, swept up in a fifteen hour whirlwind of doctors, nurses, and questions. It felt like an eternity, but once the clock on the wall struck 8:15 exactly on August 15, Emma's contractions dialed up to an eleven and she started pushing.
"You're doing great, take deep breaths." Neal encouraged as he held her hand, trying to stay calm when he was anything but.
Emma merely grunted and squeezed her eyes shut from the onslaught on pain, blocking out everything but the doctor's instructions.
"…one more big push and you'll have him in your arms." It was all she focused on- the promise of an end to the living hell she was in. So she pushed.
As her screams filled the air, and soon her son's as well, the overhead lights flickered briefly in a surge of energy.
"It's definitely a boy, congratulations!" The doctor exclaimed while holding the screaming infant, handing him off to his sweaty and exhausted mother. "What's the little guy's name?"
The blonde glanced over at her husband, who simply nodded, transfixed by the sight of his newborn son. "It's Henry." She breathed, holding a finger out for the baby to grasp. "Henry Daniel Mills."
As they gazed with wonder at their tiny miracle, hearts full of all the hopes and dreams of every loving parent, they were blissfully ignorant of fate's plan for the child: Henry Mills was destined to become the savior of a colorful little seaside town in Maine that would prove to be anything but ordinary.
The Land Without Magic
Storybrooke, 1983
Days Post-Curse: 1
108 Mifflin Street
She was going to murder that damn princess for killing her daughter. Never mind the Forest Prince or whatever he liked to call himself, Cora was going to personally see to it that Leopold's imbecilic teenager suffered a slow and painful death for her transgressions. For it was her fault that she was trapped in a realm without her magic and without the luxuries she was accustomed to.
"That insolent child!" The former Queen of Hearts yelled as she disappeared into the master bathroom, ignoring the bewildered expression on her husband's face. "Just like her righteous father!" Cora hissed, glaring at the unfamiliar modern fixtures attached to the shower. "Not a single redeeming quality about that naïve, wide-eyed…"
Henry saw fit to interrupt his wife's tirade before she spun herself into a blind rage and shifted her focus to the only other occupant of the mansion. "Brat?" He finished from the doorway, hoping it would placate her and make her more receptive of his inquiry. "Is this truly about Snow White, or are you irate that we no longer have servants to draw your bath?"
She scoffed, and it was the mere thought of lowly physical labor that kept Cora from strangling him with her bare hands. "How hypocritical of you." She resumed staring at the shower, as if her glare would magically summon a stream of hot water from within.
"It was merely an observation, my dear. I am well aware of my background." He stepped forward to assist his wife with her frustrations, but she waved him off.
"Keep your observations to yourself, Henry, unless one of them happens to be the answer to how one bathes in this accursed realm!" Cora snapped as she stormed off, deciding that her energy would be better served dressing herself in familiar corsets and gowns.
Holding his hands up in surrender, Regina's father dutifully trailed behind his wife's retreating form. "Understand that I am also finding it difficult to adjust to this realm, Cora." He followed her to their bedroom, where she immediately ordered him to fetch her the cushioned stool from the vanity so she could properly inspect the contents of her armoire. "We are in some strange village without our daughter, our only daughter, and you can't be bothered to acknowledge that she ever existed!"
The brunette tensed on her makeshift throne, elevated above the pile of clothes she was sorting through, simultaneously indignant at his accusation and wholly chastened by the reminder. Cora couldn't deny that she had been a terrible mother to Regina, she had her newly returned heart to thank for that, but what Henry wanted was impossible. No amount of reminiscing would bring back the dead, so why should she surrender to weak sentimentalities and risk all she worked for?
Ignoring her husband, whose mouth was set in a deep frown, the Queen of Hearts went about her task only to gasp in horror upon discovering that there would be no corsets or gowns in her near future. "I'd rather die than be caught wearing this in public!" Cora proclaimed in disgust as she held up the offending garment, lacy bra straps dangling from her fingers. "I mean really Henry, do these philistines even know the meaning of propriety?"
"I don't believe it's meant to be worn among the people, my dear." The weathered king was unable to completely hide his disdain for the current topic, mouth curled into a slight frown. "But perhaps your unwanted firstborn may be of more assistance than I."
Cora pursed her lips. "Somehow I doubt that." She rose to her feet, disregarding the unkempt heap at the foot of the bed. "Zelena puts more on display than a common tavern wench."
Henry sighed in exasperation. "My point still stands. She is your sole surviving daughter."
"Yes alright, Henry!" The Queen of Hearts snapped. "If it will get you to quit sniveling, I will pay her and her egotistical fiancé a visit." She didn't particularly care to do so at the moment, but subjecting herself further to her husband's moral superiority was not an option. "As soon as I find out where they reside in this uncultured hovel."
13 West Rosedale Avenue
Her rest had not been peaceful. She wasn't foolish enough to expect that it would be, but she was not prepared to suffer the uniquely disorienting consequences of the Dark Curse. The wickedly talented sorceress didn't have the ability to sleep in the traditional sense, and as such she lingered in a transitional mental state until the clouds had settled in the realm of the mundane.
As she awoke in the old Victorian mansion on the corner of Rosedale and Hawthorn, Zelena was suddenly painfully aware of the concentrated burning in her throat. "Hades…" the sorceress croaked, too weak to do anything but tangle herself further in the bedsheets.
"Hades!" When her cries went unanswered, Zelena started to desperately claw at her unnaturally pale neck. She needed to feed, but the house was as silent as a crypt. There was nothing she could do to alleviate the throbbing.
With a primal howl, the redhead impulsively and instinctually sunk her fangs into the meat of her forearm. That's when her ice blue eyes snapped open, hissing at both the self-inflicted pain and the intensity of the sunlight filling the room. It was too much all at once, and she had to leave. Immediately.
The inhumane and feral part of her roared to life, possessing her mind and body with the fervor and tenacity of a demon. She fled the mansion in a burst of speed as adrenaline coursed through her undead veins, thriving on the thrill of the hunt. And in that moment, consumed by unrestrained bloodlust, Zelena was more dangerous than the Dark One himself.
Thousand Oak Forest
As a child, Robin idolized the majesty of the grey wolf. They were calculated hunters capable of killing prey twice their size, yet they would often prefer to simply chase after their chosen target for practice. He remembered begging his tutors to take him outside castle grounds to see this for himself, the sizing up of potential quarry, but his father forbid it for being too dangerous. Now, he understood why: wolves were nocturnal animals, and a ten-year-old was much more likely to get injured venturing through the woods after dark. Given that fact, Robin's blood ran cold the minute he awoke in the cursed realm.
"Do you hear that, John?" The prince whispered into his friend's ear, frantically attempting to rouse him. There it was again, the spine-tingling howl of a wolf.
Little John grumbled unimpressed. "Wolves howl, Your Highness." The burly man rolled away from Robin and snuggled further into his odd bed roll.
"That's just it, John. They howl at night! Look what time it is." The prince watched him extract himself from the warmth of the sack and draw back the flap of their tent.
"Why, it's morning!" He exclaimed, eyes widening in alarm. "What in the bloody hell are they doing out at dawn?"
Robin frowned, mind racing with possibilities. "Something must have alerted them." He had no idea what, bears possibly, but his gut told him that wasn't the case. "We need to tell the others."
"Right." Little John nodded, looking grim. "We're not safe out here. Let's get a move on."
The two men exited the tent with caution, brandishing the flashlights they found inside as a rudimentary weapon. "What are these?" Robin asked as he toyed with it, flinching when his switched on.
"Strange flameless torches, it would seem." The larger of the two men deadpanned, more focused on whatever was stalking the forest this early in the day. "Now shut your trap and start looking for their encampments!"
Robin hesitated. He was, of course, worried about Will, Alan, Much, and the rest of the Merry Men, but the near constant howling of the wolves terrified him. Were they successfully tracking the mysterious threat, or were they crying out in fear?
Sensing his distress, Little John went on ahead. "Forget the bloody wolves, we're wasting daylight!" He bemoaned to the prince trailing behind. "The men are more than capable of fending for themselves in the meantime, Your Highness."
Robin was not amused. "And your lumbering footsteps are entirely too loud!" He complained as they ventured deeper into the forest. "It probably already knows where we are!"
"Yet I'm not the one shouting." Little John quipped. "All your hollering likely scared it off." He nearly rolled his eyes at the paranoid royal.
"Fair point." The archer conceded as they continued their search, falling silent for the next twenty minutes. When it became clear that they were unlikely to find the others before midday, Robin suggested that they rest for a bit.
Sat upon tree stumps, the pair were in the midst of discussing their next move when a red blur flashed across Robin's vision. "Bloody hell!" His eyes widened in alarm as he blinked in rapid succession. "What was that?"
Little John looked around in an attempt to spot whatever had startled his friend. "I don't know." When nothing materialized, he began to wonder if Robin was hallucinating. "Are you sure you saw something?"
"Positive. It was like fire." Robin rose to his feet, flashlight in hand. "It must be the beast!"
"Oh for the love of the gods, mate!" The more rational of the two groaned in frustration. "No creature moves that fast." He was about to tell Robin to sit back down when they heard a deep growl in the distance.
Vindicated, the archer without a bow crossed his arms and stood waiting for an apology. "Still think I'm paranoid, John?"
In lieu of a response, the bear of a man simply grunted.
13 West Rosedale Avenue
Hades was of the firm opinion that Robin of Locksley was a fool. The grieving prince reminded him of Orpheus in that regard, as neither one of them were able to accept the absolute nature of death. He remembered being surprised by the mortal musician's boldness, daring to plead for the return of his wife's soul, but it was his then-lover Persephone that had persuaded him to compromise: if Orpheus could refrain from looking at Eurydice until he reached the surface of the Underworld, her soul would be released.
When Orpheus fell to temptation, Lord Death's disdain for the human race grew. He found Prometheus' wretched creations to be weak, entitled, and wholly undeserving of his rule. Of this he was certain. Throughout the centuries, his dealings with mortals had taught Hades that Regina's fiancé would make the same fatal mistakes as his ancient ancestors. And in the end, the infamous god of the Underworld was proven right.
The young naïve archer was seduced by yet another of the Dark One's manipulations. Blinded by hope, Robin cast a curse he had little knowledge of and unleashed the supernatural on a doomed mundane realm. Hades was indifferent to the creation of Storybrooke itself, but vampires and werewolves were a general nuisance to him because they found a way to cheat death and undermine his divine authority. He also didn't appreciate how their excessive bloodlust upset his carefully maintained balance of souls in the Underworld: Ares he was not.
However, his contempt for vampires did not include his beloved fiancée, who would soon be awake and thirsting for his blood. Lord Death loved Zelena more than anything else in the cosmos, but he refused to further enable her growing addiction by allowing her to drink from him. She would simply have to lower her standards and accept the meal he provided for her; Hades was half-inclined to offer up Forest Boy for putting them in this situation. It was almost sunrise, after all, and he was by no means a benevolent man.
Market Street
Meanwhile, across town, the manager of Second Star Coffee was preparing his employees for their first opening shift. Felix was fairly young for a manager, only 18, but his strong work ethic had landed him the job after a few months as a barista. Nerves aside, the teenager was confident that he and his team would be able to handle the morning rush.
"Thirty minutes to open!" Felix yelled from behind the bar as he went about brewing coffee, practically tripping over himself to have everything ready on time. "Who's stocking the pastry case?"
As if on cue, a dark-haired teenager emerged from the depths of the storage room wiping his hands on an apron. "Sorry boss, but it looks like we're short on cinnamon raisin bagels." He explained as Felix groaned. "If you have more order forms with you I'll just fill one out right now."
The 18-year old was about to open the drawer and give Thomas a stack, but his stomach sank upon remembering that he had most likely left them at home. "Unfortunately, I don't." This time it was the brunette's turn to groan. "I'm almost positive I left them in my room, but I can go search my car."
"Man, Wendy's going to explode!" Thomas remarked as he started to arrange the indoor furniture. "You know how meticulous she is with the bookkeeping!"
Felix grimaced. "I'll handle it. Just keep an eye on the espresso machine while I'm gone, will you?" He turned on his heel and exited the store in a flash, determined to have the forms in hand before they opened.
That task was easier said than done. As he crossed the parking lot in pursuit of his beat up Honda Civic, Felix regretted treating his car like a mobile dumpster. About a year's worth of Big Mac wrappers, soda cans, and receipts littered the passenger seat, making his job ten times harder than it had to be. Key in hand, the teen unlocked the driver's side door with a prolonged sigh, yanked it open, and dove into the mountain of trash that was potentially harboring the order forms.
"I really, really need to clean this piece of junk." The blond muttered as he tossed yet another McDonald's receipt into the back. "And stop eating so much fast food." But as the pile beside him shrunk and the one behind him grew, Felix began to realize that his efforts were futile: the forms were nowhere to be seen.
Just as he made peace with his findings, the blond felt a rough pair of hands grab hold of his shirt and forcibly remove him from the driver's seat. "What the- hey!" He yelled as he wildly punched the air, blindsided by the sudden act of aggression. "Get your hands off me!"
His unknown assailant merely chuckled and threw him to the ground. "As you wish." The man's tone carried a hint of amusement, and Felix shuddered: whoever this guy was, he enjoyed hurting people. This wasn't a simple carjacking.
"Listen, I don't want any trouble." The teen asserted as he slowly got to his feet, enabling him to observe the stranger for the first time. He appeared to be a tall, dark-haired businessman wearing an obviously expensive suit, but the longer he stared, the more he wanted to run for the hills. It was almost an instinctual fear.
Choosing flight over fight, all Felix wanted was to escape the encounter with his life. "If it's my car you want," he guessed, eyeing the older man wearily, "the keys are on the passenger's seat."
The teen's fear quickly turned to anger at his rather rude response. "I have no interest in your poor excuse for a vehicle." The well-dressed brunette sneered, his piercing dark eyes sizing Felix up intently. "But you, on the other hand, are just what I'm looking for."
"And you are an elitist bastard!" Felix snapped. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't call the police on your ass!" He shoved a hand into the pocket of his jeans containing his phone and yelped when he felt the stranger painfully grip his from the outside.
"The police have no power over me, young mortal. No one does." He smirked, using his free hand to force Felix to meet his gaze. "You may know me as Hades, Lord of the Underworld."
The blond was prepared to declare the man insane, but his strange accent, combined with the unexplained bone-chilling terror he currently felt, was enough to convince Felix otherwise. He went into shock as the supposed god summoned a dark cloud out of thin air and transported them to the abandoned mansion on Rosedale Avenue.
13 West Rosedale Avenue
Oh, well isn't this positively dreadful! Cora thought as she approached the antiquated and neglected home of her firstborn. My daughter, the Queen of the Underworld, living like a destitute pauper. Her disgust grew as she ascended the front steps; its worn floorboards creaking under the heels of her Versace boots. I will be having a word with Hades about appearances.
Announcing her presence with a sharp knock, the new mayor of Storybrooke stood on the rickety porch and waited to be received, appalled by the fine layer of dust lingering on her manicured hands. And when her soon to be son-in-law opened the door, minutes later, he was not his usual self.
Perplexed by his shaken demeanor, Cora felt the need to make an inquiry. "Why Hades, you look an absolute state!" She remarked as she invited herself inside. "Did my daughter finally wear you out?"
His expression was grim. "Zelena is missing." The god corrected as he slowly lowered himself into a tattered wingback chair. "I don't believe you understand the severity of the situation we're in."
"Certainly not." The refined brunette elected to remain on her feet, wrinkling her nose at the threadbare sofa. "I was under the impression that the divine were unaffected by curses. Surely you can use your omnipotence to locate her?"
Hades had a vice-like grip on the armrests, clearly frustrated with himself. "My powers are currently limited." Living in Storybrooke, he discovered, was going to be an adjustment. "But even if I could, it may be too late for the town."
"You're not suggesting that she's…" Cora couldn't even bear to utter it. The Dark Curse was supposed to bring them to a land without magic. What Hades was indicating should be impossible.
"Still a vampire." Hades finished. "And as I said before, missing."
The Queen of Hearts was still processing the news when there came a muffled scream from upstairs. And though it wasn't a feminine scream, it lead Cora to conclude that, at present, there was more going on than he was relaying. "Like that poor boy you seem to have kidnapped?"
Lord Death grimaced. "Ah, yes. Felix." He dismissively gestured to the second floor of the house where his hostage was making all kinds of noise. "He was supposed to be Zelena's breakfast, but she was gone by the time I returned."
Cora hummed in reply. "Well we must find her, Hades. Before she slaughters the entire town." The brunette began to leave, intent on solving the problem in a matter of hours. "Where does one go when faced with a desire for blood?"
"The forest isn't far from here." Hades suggested as he followed her. "It's likely she went after the closest thing with a pulse."
"Lovely." Cora remarked with disgust. "Is it too much to hope that she make her next meal out of the Prince of Pinecones?"
Hades chuckled as they exited the mansion, locking the door behind them. "Not at all." He was reminded of Felix's predicament by his traveling companion, but he couldn't say that he cared enough to release the boy. There were more pressing issues at hand.
"Although I will say," the god flippantly added in closing, "if Zelena decides to feed on Robin of Locksley, we'll be able to hear Regina from her tomb."
Thousand Oak Forest
While Robin and Little John continued their hunt for the creature, the rest of the Merry Men were debating on whether or not to send out a search party for their missing friends. It was uncharacteristic of the prince to take off without warning, some argued, though others believed he had simply needed some fresh air and company.
"Oh for the love of the king!" Will Stutely yelled, exasperated, as he made his opinion known for the tenth time. "Robin's gone hunting with John before, they're not bloody children!"
Friar Tuck scoffed. "In an unfamiliar forest?" He looked to Will Scarlet for backup. "They could be in serious trouble, and we're standing around bickering like a bunch of old hens?"
"Tuck's right." The younger man conceded, leaning against his tent that he decided was made out of some strange animal skin. "We're in uncharted territory, and wasting valuable daylight."
"Well I think we're jumping to conclusions." Much grumbled from his fallen log. "But if it makes everyone feel better, I'm willing to go look for them." He was in full belief that it was far too early in the morning for this amount of drama.
"As am I." Alan-a-Dale said, siding with their most seasoned warrior. "What are you all afraid of, a pride of mountain lions?"
Not two minutes later, a deep growl tore through the area, renewing the concerns of Tuck and Will Scarlet.
"Mountain lion my arse, Alan!" Will yelled as he dove back into his tent for cover. "What in the hell was that?"
Much went on high alert and reached for his bow. "Nothing good." He signaled for the men to prepare for an attack. "Sounds like it's headed for the camp."
Everyone froze, holding their breath in anticipation of another growl. The tension was high, and when none came they foolishly assumed that the animal had moved on. They were wrong.
The same red blur that Robin had witnessed appeared out of nowhere and launched itself at the newest member of the Merry Men: sixteen-year-old David of Doncaster.
He never got the chance to scream.
Main Street
You want it. She tore through Storybrooke at breakneck speed, desperately searching for anything that would bring an end to the burning pain in her throat. You need it. It was growing more intense with each step, threatening to consume her if she didn't quench it immediately. You must have it.
When nothing in town called out to her, the redhead nearly collapsed from exhaustion. But then she smelled potential salvation- the seductive promise of fresh blood. You must stake your claim!
There was no stopping her. Zelena followed the scent deep into the forest, growling involuntarily as she drew closer to her target. Maim him. Bite him. Unable to endure the suffering any longer, the Wicked Witch blindly lunged at her victim and sunk her fangs into his tender flesh. Kill him.
Zelena pinned the boy to the ground in one swift move, oblivious to her surroundings as she voraciously drank from him. If he screamed, she didn't notice, as she was too engrossed in her meal.
Off in the distance, the redhead heard faint shouts that sounded like "Get off of him!" and "Do you have a death wish?". Annoyed that she had been disturbed, Zelena removed herself from her prey and instantly locked eyes with her furious mother.
Thousand Oak Forest
"Get off of him!" The panicked shout made Robin's adrenaline surge as he and John reached the campsite. Breaking into a cold sweat, the prince ran toward the commotion and stopped dead in his tracks. The Merry Men were in distress, that much was obvious, but it was next to impossible to see the cause of it all beyond their protective huddle.
Alarmed, Robin pushed through the barrier and let out a wail. The creature they had been tracking was bent over David and in the process of sucking him dry, except the beast turned out to be Regina's deranged sister.
"No!" The archer was distraught as he stared at the sorceress in horror, impulsively reaching for his nonexistent bow. "Dammit Zelena, what the hell is wrong with you?" All the attention was on him as he prepared to pull the redhead off of his lifeless friend, whether she was finished or not.
Robin was inches away from the distracted vampire when he was interrupted by the arrival of her insidious mother and Lord Death himself. "Are you mad, Locksley, or do you have a death wish?" The sharp reprimand from the older woman compelled him to back away from Zelena with his hands in the air.
"Point taken." He acquiesced. "But, if I may add, your lovely daughter just murdered one of my men. Do you really expect me to stand by and do nothing?"
"Yes." Cora replied through clenched teeth, glaring daggers at Zelena. "She would have attacked you without a second thought. In front of everyone."
The redhead in question scoffed, no longer possessed by a primal desire for blood. "She's right here!" Zelena yelled as she slowly got to her feet, amused when her audience took more than a few steps back. "Honestly, mother! You act as if I slaughtered an entire village!"
Robin braced himself for a full blown argument to break out between the two women, as per usual, but was relieved when Hades shouldered the burden himself by walking up to his fiancée and pulling her into his embrace. "Cora has good reason to be concerned, my love." He reasoned, caressing her bloodstained face. "You could have been killed."
"By Robin's band of forest dwellers?" She rolled her eyes at the ridiculous scenario. "Hades, I am a witch!"
"Who is powerless in this realm." The god finished, silently pleading with her to take the issue seriously. "You're lucky that they were too afraid to do you serious harm!"
Zelena bit her lip, suddenly nervous. "Powerless?" The thought was terrifying. "Then how am I still…this?" She bared her fangs for effect.
"The supernatural and magical do not always intersect." Hades led them away from the scene of the crime, joining Robin and Cora at the far end of the campsite. "So you see, my darling, why it is imperative that the rest of Storybrooke remain ignorant about your condition."
Cora nodded. "This complicates everything." She was so disgusted with Zelena's behavior that she almost couldn't look at her. "When more townspeople inevitably go missing each month, people will start to get suspicious."
Robin hated every second of this conversation. "Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but how else is the wicked one supposed to survive?" He sneered in her direction, still deciding on whether or not to forgive her for earlier.
"Rumple." Cora simply stated, looking as miserable as Robin felt. "He'll have started on a solution by now, knowing him."
Zelena nearly flew into a rage. "What?" She hissed. "You want to consult the monster that damned me in the first place?"
"We are out of options, Zelena!" Cora snapped. "Had you not lost control, we wouldn't be in this situation!" The brunette was seriously considering locking her daughter up and throwing away the key.
"He is your sire." Hades added, stroking the redhead's arm in a calming fashion. "And as such, he is technically responsible for you."
Robin couldn't argue with that. "I'm in." He declared, to their surprise. "It's about time the Dark One was held accountable for his actions."
Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop
Great power requires great sacrifice. Rumplestiltskin reminded himself as he strolled through the entrance of his pawn shop and tossed his ornamental cane aside. What's done is done. The blood of the Dark One's latest victim still dripped from his mouth, staining his pristine silk tie.
"Rumple?" Came the voice of Belle from the back of the shop. "Is that you?"
"Indeed, my dear." He walked behind the counter and began wiping down the glass display case to perfection. "Has anyone stopped by?" At the telltale sound of heels on wood, Rumplestiltskin licked his lips and drew his suit jacket closed in order to avoid frightening her.
"Not yet." The studious brunette replied, carrying a stack of books. "But we just opened an hour or two ago. It's still early."
Satisfied, the Dark One resumed his task of tidying up the shop. From what he had encountered that morning, he was on track to have quite the eventful day.
Twenty minutes later, the bell rang, announcing the arrival of two of his least favorite people. Cora was enraged, he could tell just by looking at her, but Locksley was harder to read. His expression was guarded, making it difficult for the vampire to discern his true emotions.
"Gold!" The Queen of Hearts demanded as she stormed up to the counter. "We have a problem."
"Do we?" He decided to play coy. "I seem to recall no opposition to the curse, or has someone had a change of heart?"
It was the forest boy that answered him. "One of my men was attacked this morning. By your protégée." He divulged, describing the horrific incident to the best of his ability.
"Just one?" The vampire remarked, quickly becoming bored with Robin's story. "Where is Zelena now?"
"With Hades." Cora replied. "They had other issues at home." She decided that telling the Dark One about Felix was pointless, as the boy was likely already dead.
"Yes, I'm sure they did." Rumplestiltskin mused. "So why exactly are you bringing this to my attention?"
Robin stood firm. "Because she's your responsibility!" He growled, just as frustrated with the Dark One as he had been in the Enchanted Forest. "Did you forget to teach her self-control?"
"Zelena did exercise control." Rumplestiltskin emphasized, growing irritated. "A newborn would have massacred townspeople by the dozen."
Cora was not amused. "Be that as it may, it can't happen again." She stared him down, daring him to challenge her.
"No, I suppose not." He agreed, to her surprise. "Attracting suspicion may cause the curse to lift early."
At the end of her patience, the mayor lunged across the register and seized the Dark One by his ruined tie. "Enough about the curse!" She seethed. "I will not be embarrassed by my bloodthirsty savage of a daughter!"
Rumplestiltskin giggled, baring his own set of fangs. "Well, dearie," he wickedly grinned, "it's a good thing she's not yours anymore."