Victoria Belfrey was putting Lucy to bed. As far as anyone knew, Lucy was her granddaughter. The truth was more complicated, but Victoria still had certain duties. One such duty was to tell this child bedtime stories. She decided to tell her of Rumplestiltskin, even if Lucy had no idea that Rumplestiltskin was her great-grandfather.
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Victoria: Lucy, have you ever heard the tragedy of Rumplestiltskin?
Lucy: No, I don't think so.
Victoria: I thought not. It's not a story that the heroes would tell you. It's a villains legend. Rumplestiltskin was once a poor peasant, struggling to provide for himself and his young son Baelfire. Baelfire's mother had abandoned them years before. Their local duke was at was with the ogres, and he decreed that all children of a certain age must fight in this war. Baelfire was fast approaching the age when he would be conscripted, forced to fight the ogres, the age was 13. Rumplestiltskin was determined to save his son from being killed, but there seemed little that he could do for him. One night, shortly before Baelfire's 13th birthday, a hungry old traveler came to their hut, begging for food. Although they were poor, they gave this old man what they could. In return, the traveler told them a way Rumplestiltskin could save Baelfire. It seemed that their duke possessed a powerful dagger, and with this dagger he could control the dark one. The dark one was a powerful sorcerer, but he was forced to serve whoever controlled the dagger. If Rumplestiltskin could steal the dagger, then he could control the dark one, and the duke would be forced to grant Baelfire an exemption from the draft. Rumplestiltskin feared that if he did possess the dagger, than surely someone would kill him for this power. There was ofcourse another option, Rumplestiltskin could use the dagger to murder the dark one, and therefore become the dark one. Then he would have the power to protect Baelfire. Rumplestiltskin feared he could not bring himself to take a life. But if he wanted to save his son, he would have to do one. With help from Baelfire and the old traveler, Rumplestiltskin stole the dagger, and summoned the dark one. He quickly used it to kill the dark one. He realized, only too late, that this was the same old traveler who told him of this dagger. He wanted to be released from the curse of immortality, but he needed someone to release him. Now that he had the power of the dark one, Rumplestiltskin saved the children. Not merely Baelfire, but all the children who had been forced to fight. He went to the front lines and forced both sides to make a truce, to some Rumplestiltskin was a hero. But just as he had feared, there were those who wanted to kill him, and take his power. He came to believe that the only way to protect himself and his son was to gain more power. But the more power he gained, the more people wanted to kill him. And the more people wanted to kill him, the more power he tried to possess. Rumplestiltskin did indeed gain power, powerful enough to escape from death itself. He became so powerful that the only thing he came to fear was, losing his son, which eventually ofcourse, he did.
Lucy: What happened to him?
Victoria: Baelfire grew up, and had a son of his own, Henry. When one of Rumplestiltskin's enemies tried to kill them, Rumplestiltskin died protecting his son and grandson, but the story does not end there. A young witch named Zelena, who was a student of Rumplestiltskin until she turned to evil, needed her old master alive for her own purposes. She manipulated Baelfire into performing a spell that could resurrect his father, but she didn't tell him that all magick has a price. This was a trade, Baelfire didn't know he was giving his life for his father's. Try as he might, Rumplestiltskin couldn't save his son's life. It's ironic really. He could escape from death itself, but he couldn't save the life of the person he loved the most.
Lucy: That's sad. I guess evil never wins.
Victoria: I wouldn't say he was evil. Rumplestiltskin was just a man, willing to do whatever it took to protect the people he loved, I can relate. Had he not become the dark one, his son would have died in the ogre war, and Henry would never have been born. Perhaps he should have just told Baelfire more about how all magick has a price. He made some tactical errors, but not necessarily evil. I also would do what was necessary for my family, for my granddaughter. I hope you know that sweetheart.
Lucy: He could really escape from death?
Victoria: The darkside is the pathway to many abilities that some consider to be unnatural.
Lucy: Is it possible to learn this power?
Victoria: Not from a hero. But that's a matter for another night. Now go to sleep and someday, I'll tell you more about moral relativism, and what some would do for those they love.
