The village that they arrived in was smaller than Belle's. The only thing that the main plaza had was a post office and slew of carts selling artisanal products crafted by hand and general perishable merchandise presumably from their farms. Belle and Emma purchased a slew of goods such as spices, fruits, and vegetables. Belle couldn't help but purchase a beautiful lacy ribbon. Her mind immediately went to the bows and finishing touches to clothes the ribbon would one day make. The villagers gawked at them as they walked from merchant cart to merchant cart. It was like they knew Emma was the Dark One. Of course, the black clothing and the dark cloak gave it away, however it was more than just her dark clothes that people stared at. They stared at her smile. Her laugh. The way her blue eyes lit up whenever Belle ogled over another artisanal item.
"What is a nice lady like yourself doing associating with that witch." One of the shopkeepers said seething towards Emma in the distance as Belle paid for a leather-bound journal and a book. The way the merchant said witch made Belle's skin crawl. It was disgusting and vile. A bit of spit flew out of their mouth as they spoke with pure anger and rage.
"She's not a witch." Belle retorted slightly infuriated. "She's a kind soul who needs not be bullied by the likes of you."
Belle walked away in a huff quick to distance herself away from the villagers prying eyes. As they entered the isolated woods area of the village Emma began to strap all of their belongings onto her horse that by now Belle had named Julian.
"I wouldn't bother with those people; people fear what they don't understand," Emma said to Belle.
"But what is it that they're not to understand about you."
"Everything. My entire existent is strange to them. People tend to think of magic as evil." Emma said these words as if they were words, she had experience with. As if she had explained it a dozen times. There was no hurt in her voice but there was hurt in Belle's heart as she felt for Emma. She couldn't help but wonder if Rumple ever felt the same type of pain as she did. It was a pain she wished to cure and remove from both Emma and Rumple.
Belle stayed quite sensing that Emma didn't want to press the issue further.
"We'll do the transport here," Emma announced testing the energy around the woods. Normally if she was just going to transport herself then it wouldn't be an issue, the issue was the fact that she was transporting a whole other human being with her. It was possible, but it was something she hadn't done in quite some time. "Grab my hand."
Belle obeyed Emma and locked her hand within hers. Emma's black leather glove gripped Belle's soft hand with a fury as if she was scared that she would let her go midway there in a pocket dimension. A tingling sensation swept through Belle's palm in a way that almost tickled. Eventually, the tingling sensation swept through all of Belle's body, and then she felt a bright light blasting in her eyes so bright that she had to shut her eyes. Once she opened her eyes again, they were in front of the castle on the brink of destruction. There were gaps in the wood panels exposing the interior of the home. The rain and snow had gotten in causing the house to begin to rot. A rancid smell filled the air.
"Strange," Emma noted talking to herself. "This castle looks like it has been set here for centuries yet…I can almost guarantee you that I've never passed by it and I've walked this road countless times." Emma studied the castle trying to read its magic. She could sense heavy sorcery in the air, yet oddly enough she couldn't identify it. It had been a long time since something magical had challenged her.
"It looks like no one's here," Belle stated nervously walking a few feet in front of her as she tried to peer into the openings on the buildings. She hoped for a sign of Rumple. For a sign, she was in the right place, but it didn't come as hard as she tried. "Should we go in?" Belle asked turning back to see Emma still giving the castle a curious look over.
"I don't think so," Emma said clouded by a suspicion that she couldn't put her finger on. "This feels too good to be true."
"Why would it be?" Belle stared at the blonde dumbfounded. Her heart was urging her forward and all the kept her outside of the castle was her feet and Emma's glare. "This is where Rumple told me to meet him, I don't understand why you would think anything of it?"
"Belle." Emma sighed mentally cursing her for being so naive. "I know this might not make sense, but I don't think it is safe to walk into the castle. My magic senses danger."
"Emma. I knew this would be dangerous all along. I'm sorry but…" Belle said taking a few steps forwards until she reached the threshold of the castle. "I'm going inside."
Belle ignored Emma's protest and stepped through the bricked archway that led her to the entrance of the castle. As soon as she stepped within the grounds of the castle Belle felt a wave of sleep overtaking her. Just a few minutes ago she felt fine and well-rested but now her back ached and her eyes began to droop nearly closing on her.
The entrance door was wooden with iron bars holding the door upright. Bell reached for the metal door handle and upon opening the door she felt a slight prick on her finger. "Ouch," She shouted bringing her finger to her mouth to suck on the wound. As she took her finger out of her mouth, she noticed a tiny wooden shard lodged in her index fingertip. She used the base of her nails on her opposite hand to pull out the splinter. Belle was used to splinters, she got them all the time back home in the cottage but something about this splinter felt different. It stung and her finger felt like it was throbbing. Even something about the blood, the splinter drew was different…it was sweet?
Before closing the door, Belle decided to give Emma one last look but strangely Emma was gone. The blonde wasn't where she was standing a few seconds ago? Had she abandoned her? Had she left her to fend for herself? Belle tried not to let it get to her but a part of that stung. She felt like she had truly developed a friendship with Emma.
No matter, she had to push through and be brave.
"Rumple?" Belle bravely called out closing the door behind her. The idea that an evil warlock could spring out of a corner in the castle and pulverize her came to her mind.
The castle was empty. There were no chairs no furniture. Nothing but cobwebs that served as décor. The only light in the entire castle was coming from a large window near what Belle presumed to be the kitchen. Belle could feel the sleep slowly overcoming her. She opened her mouth wide to yawn and widened her eyes forcing herself to keep them open.
"Rumple are you there? Can you hear me?" Belle called out walking down the corridor deeper into the castle. As she rounded the corner she noticed some doors that blockaded some sort of entrance into a cellar. The doors were forced closed with a thick iron bar. Belle began to wiggle the bar until she was finally able to pull it through. She set the bar to the side and then dusted her hands off as she stood up. Fear and panic infiltrated her thoughts as she studied the doors to the cellar. She wanted to be brave and simply open up the doors in a huff and puff, but she couldn't deny the human in her was afraid. Her heart began to thump in her chest, and she could feel her stomach turning into knots. She felt drawer to the cellar doors for some reason. Something inside of her just felt a connection to them, it had to mean that Rumple was down there.
Belle took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Be brave.
Be smart.
Be who he needs you to be.
She meditated on her words and when she opened her eyes, she reached for the cellar door handles and swung open the doors will all the confidence she could muster.
"Rumple?" She called unable to see anything, not even stairs. She had no idea if there were stairs but when she bent down to feel by the doors, she felt nothing. How deep was the drop? She thought to herself. It couldn't be that deep.
The more Belle put her body into the cellar opening the more she felt like something was waiting to jump out at her. She felt watched. She felt eyes on her. She couldn't deny that chills ran down her spine just thinking about someone spying on her.
"Where are your Rumple?" Belle spoke softly purely to herself.
Belle decided it was best to search for some type of lantern or candle to help her see in the dark. She stood up and briefly dusted off the cobwebs from her dress.
"Finally, you grace us with your presence Princess." A voice spoke from behind Belle. She did not recognize the voice. It was deep and distorted, it almost sounded unreal. There was no way it could belong to a human.
Belle turned around and gasped when she saw a figure in a black cloak. From the distance, the figure could pass as Emma, but the glowing green eyes were not hers.
"Who are you?" Belle demanded an answer.
"Who am I not?" The figure seemed to be walking closer to her- seemed like because their feet didn't even move. It was simply like their form was floating forward towards Belle.
"Don't come closer." Belle took a few steps back nearly tripping into the cellars open doors but stopping herself before she could. "Tell me where my husband is," Belle shouted balling her fists up beside her prepared to fight the figure if she had to.
"I've been watching your journey here. You've been brave and smart." By now the figure was only less than a foot away from her and Belle still couldn't make out anything about the figure. All she could see was darkness and green glowing eyes. It was as if the figure simply didn't have a body.
"Please do whatever you want with me but just release my husband," Belle said in a half whimper. She didn't feel brave. She felt a thumping in her chest that she couldn't stop, and she knew for a fact her hand trembled as she raised. Nonetheless, she would do anything to save Rumple. Even if it meant doing something that terrified her.
"First you must prove yourself worthy." The figure said.
"I'll do anything," Belle replied.
Emma shot a wave of magic straight at the entrance of the castle for what felt like the thousandth time that day. She couldn't remember what day it was anymore but all she could remember was the moon and sun had risen and gone down at least 4 times since she last saw Belle. The Dark One didn't need sleep but that didn't mean that she couldn't exhaust her magic out now and then. Her hands trembled from summoning so much magic that she could barely ignore the aches.
At that moment she wished she had fought Belle harder on not entering the castle. She wished she had Neal to help her. Her magic was always so much stronger when he was around her. It was their magical connection that truly made her magic its best. Why had she been so stupid to leave without him? He had made her promise to stay in the cottage until he returned. He hated the thought of her being out in the forest in her condition. Oh yes, …her condition. How had she been so reckless to leave on a journey while she was pregnant?
"Neal I'm sorry," Emma muttered to herself as she raised her hands once more to push out her magic and energy into opening up the door. Emma gave the barrier her last bit of energy at the door, she couldn't help but fall backward onto her bottom. She felt pathetic. It had been a lifetime ago since she felt so useless with magic. As Emma sat on the floor studying the house from the outside, she couldn't help but notice there was a magical barrier around the house. She had noticed it before but what she hadn't realized was that her magic was not doing a thing to penetrate the barrier.
"Unless…" Emma said pushing herself upward. Her hand reached for the door and as if nothing her hand went through the barrier. "Of course." She groaned cursing herself for not thinking of it sooner. The barrier blocked all magical creatures and the only way she was able to push through at that very moment was because she had just drained the last of her magic into the door. As soon as her magic would regenerate the house would either kick her out of something much more cynical.
"Do not move another itch." Emma felt a sword at her neck. Normally she would've been able to sense someone a mile away but because her magic was so depleted the speaker was able to sneak up on her.
Emma turned to face the man and raised her hands in surrender.
She eyed the man and studied his features. He had shaggy black hair that was knotted and grimy as if he had been riding nonstop. His olive skin was slightly tanned with some red at his cheeks from presumably exhaustion. She couldn't deny that he was handsome. Maybe even ridiculously handsome?
"Where is Belle?" The man said seething.
Emma hesitated to answer as she couldn't exactly use her magic to read the man's intensions like she normally would be able to. However, judging by his anger and determined expression, her institution told her to trust him.
"She's inside. I've been trying to get her out for a few days now to no avail. Only non-magic wielders can enter."
"Non-magic so…your..."
"Yes. I'm the Dark One." Emma admitted already anticipated his reaction.
His face tightened with anger as he neared her still holding his blade towards her. "The Dark One you say? Well, I've been hunting the Light One for centuries…what's to stop me from offing you to get to him?"
"Killian wait" A woman in the distance shouted out of breath. She had long black hair and alabaster skin as smooth as the moon. The woman supported herself on a piece of wood surrounding the entranceway as she stopped near where they stood. "Leave her alone, she smells like Belle. I think they might be working together."
"And." Ruby began with her eyes widened. "And she's pregnant."
Emma studied the woman for a moment and tried to figure out exactly how she knew. There was no way she was human.
"Your friend is right. Belle is my friend." Emma said the word friend without thinking but suddenly a smile went to her face. Belle was her first friend for as long as she could remember. It felt nice telling someone out loud that she had a real genuine friend.
"Oh, I'm sorry then." The man apologetically lowered his blade and sheathed it against into the holster around his leather belt. "My name is Killian." He reached for Emma's hand to shake it.
The moment their hands touched, a spark formed and shocked both of them. Immediately they looked downwards at their hands and then upwards again at one another.
"Have we met before?" Killian said still holding on to Emma's hand.
"Perhaps," Emma said trying to use the little magic she was regenerating to sense his energy. There was a part of her that wanted so badly to understand where their connection was coming from, but the harder she tried the blurrier her magic felt in her head. "Maybe in another lifetime," Emma concluded unable to read their connection.
Killian hesitated to release her hand but ultimately reminded himself of the real reason he was there. Or well the two reasons he was there – Belle and the Light One.
"I'm going in." Killian declared.
"I'm going with you," Ruby shouted following Killian as he marched up towards the entrance.
"You can't…only people with no magic can enter. There is a barrier." Emma said reaching to stop Ruby.
Ruby looked Emma up and down hating that she knew what she was. Nobody but Killian and her pack knew what she was.
"Then we'll wait outside for you Kil. Be safe." Ruby nodded towards Killian.
"Killian. If you find Belle and she's…unresponsive." Emma struggled to find another word for dead. "Give her this. It'll bring her back to life." Emma handed Killian the potion the healing potion she had tucked into her knapsack for emergencies. This was an emergency now.
Killian reached for the potion and tucked it into his leather pocket. He eyeballed the doors and with a deep breath, he opened them ready for anything. As he reached to close the doors behind him, he found that they had already been magically closed and locked. He straightened his posture and unsheathed his blade prepared for anything.