David drew his sword, but the truth was that this was a battle the False Prince didn't want to fight. Forget the facts that he was the Dark One or that he had magic and David didn't. The real problem was that Prince Charming was not actually a Prince, he was not the fighter his brother had been no matter how hard he pretended. And meanwhile, before he was the Dark One, he'd been a trained soldier. It might have been a while since he'd fought or even held a sword, but there was no matching the little that David the shepherd knew against what he knew!

David haphazardly flung the sword out in front of him, and he leaned back, ducking it easily. David struck again, but he eluded him again by holding out his hand and catching it in his fingers. He laughed. David took the sword back, reared again and moved to strike a blow, but he'd grown bored and had already disappeared and reappeared behind him, leaving the prince looking around cautiously for where he'd gone. He almost looked disappointed. Well…he had been bored, and it had been some time since he'd had a bit of fun. He summoned a sword from his tower and took his stance.

"Over here!" he called, drawing David's attention back to him. David charged and lunged and he allowed his sword to catch the way it was supposed to for a proper duel as old instructions and techniques he hadn't thought about for over a century filled his head. But the fight was a folly, it was always bound to be a folly for David because no matter the youth or skill he possessed he did not have magic. When David cornered him by a tree, he merely reappeared behind him, allowed David's sword to come down on the roots, and then used his sword to tap him on the leg.

"Persistent."

And predictably enough, The False Prince struck again, attacking with grunts and shouts all men had when they were pushed to the brink of anger boiling over. That was fine. He wanted him to be weak, to feel weak, he wanted David to know that there was no other path to take except the one he offered. He'd known this story long before the children had ever been born, and he wasn't about to lose control of it now, just because David didn't know what was best for himself.

He aimed upward, David grabbed at his arms, and his training took hold, he turned and elbowed him in the gut, knocking him backwards, before using the blunt edge of the sword to trip him off his feet. He regained his composure quick enough, pulling out another blade from heaven only knew where. He wasn't scared. The boy lunged again, stupidly throwing the second blade in the air and catching it in a way suitable for stabbing. When he attacked he grabbed his arms, turned his wrist in a way that wouldn't break it but would certainly be painful until he dropped one of the blades. He pushed him back, they crossed swords again before he grabbed him once more keeping his blade to his neck.

"Had enough?"

"Never," he growled.

He was just beginning to believe that. It was easy when he considered how he would have fought if it was he in his shoes and Belle who was lost. Showing him he was weak wasn't going to work. He had to show him he'd die of exhaustion before he ever won this battle. So this time, when Charming reared back, he let him cut him, just below his right eye, on his cheek. David paused, looking almost shocked and proud he'd landed the blow, but he continued to smile. He laughed, then gathered up his magic and waved it over his flesh, feeling it knit back together easily.

Charming swung his sword wildly and pointlessly, he only needed to step back to avoid it and when he did the Prince lost his footing and doubled over, presenting the back of his neck to him. He hit him on the back of his head with his sword then pushed him back against a tree with preternatural strength that sent him sailing into a tree. He lost his sword in the action, one which he quickly picked up and when the prince stopped rolling around, placed against his neck.

"Looking for this?"

Finally, fear and panic seemed to douse his hot-headedness as he looked up at him.

"So brave. So gallant. So pointless. Bravery won't get you out this forest, dearie. Magic will. Trust me. This is a deal you want to make, because we both want the same thing."

David glanced at the sword, then back up at him. "What's that?"

He smiled as he slipped the ring in his palm over one of his fingers. "Why, you and your true love to be together, of course," he insisted, flipping the finger over and showing him the still glowing ring.

"What do you want for it?"

"So glad you asked, dearie!"

He moved aside so that David could get to his feet, then he flipped his sword over and handed it back to him. David hesitated, but eventually wrapped his hand around the hilt and sheathed it. With a wave of his hand, the sword he'd fought with was exchanged for the glittering purple potion that he probably had no idea came from him.

"Behold. The most powerful magic of all…True Love."

As if mesmerized, David reached out. He wasn't trying to take it, he just wanted to look at it. Not that he could blame him. Were their roles reversed, he'd want to look at it more closely too, but he didn't want to allow such a thing. The last thing he needed was for the sweaty prince to accidentally drop the thing he'd spent so much time trying to get right.

"Ah! Careful. This is all I have left of it."

"What do you know of True Love?" the Prince snapped selfishly.

"Well, not so much as you, perhaps, but not so little as you might think," he sneered.

A comment like that made his chest hurt. At the moment, with all the running around Snow and David had done he knew not much more of the joys of True Love than the boy did, but that was the thing, if he was successful then David would know more, much more, far more than he ever had. It was easy to be jealous when he realized that was knowledge that he had let pass him by…all for a moment like this. It had to be worth it.

"You? You loved someone?" David questioned in disbelief.

"It was a brief flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness," he was letting on to more than he should have, but if this was what David needed to hear to trust him, if this was what he needed to hear to make the sacrifice he'd made where Belle was concerned mean something, then so be it.

"What happened?"

"She died," he answered simply, leaving out the details he could barely fathom some days. "That's the thing about True Love, dearie. It can slip through your fingers. It's the most powerful magic in the world. The only magic powerful enough to break any curse. It must be protected at all costs."

"I don't understand. What exactly is it you want me to do?" he questioned, growing more and more agitated.

He rolled his eyes, wasn't it entirely obvious already? "I want you to help me protect it by putting it in a safe place for me!" he explained, summoning the small egg he'd designed. He fit the vial inside it's cushioning, felt the spells around it once it was closed to be sure everything was active and strong enough for where it was going. He locked it magically, knowing that when he was in a World Without Magic, he'd have the key to get back inside. All was set for delivery from the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming in just a few decades.

"And where is that?"

"Inside the belly of a beast, of course!" he exclaimed, tossing it to David. He caught it perfectly, deftly, and looked it over before glancing back at him. "Why hide it?"

"Let's just say, I'm saving it for a rainy day. So…shall we?" he put the ring back on his finger and wiggled it in front of David once more. The boy homed in on it with predictable accuracy. Finally, he sneered.

"Lead the way."

So yes, a short chapter, but I am a fan of how it came out. These two scenes just fit really well together and make for a lot of action, a lot of talking, and some really great reflection where Belle is concerned.

Thank you Grace5231973, Alarda, and Jennifer Baratta for your reviews on the last chapter. Short or not, seen or not, I hope you'll like this chapter. I am pleased with it so I hope you'll be too. Peace and Happy Reading!