Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time. Thanks so much for the reads and reviews and follows. I really appreciate it. Also, I don't own the song I'm ripping off at the end called "Abigail's Song," I'm pretty sure Murray Gold and/or Katharine Jenkins does. Yes, Whovians, I went there. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!


The Gold Fairy appeared in the clearing.

"And who has summoned me?," she called.

"I have."

The Gold Fairy looked to see Merlin sitting at a table that had suddenly appeared. He motioned at the tea and cakes.

"Would you care to sit, Goldie?," he asked.

Goldie sat grudgingly.

"What do you want?"

"Don't be so hostile, my dear. We both want the same thing."

"And what is that?"

"To join Reinette with her True Love."

"Will you tell me now why you want that?"

"No."

"Then why should I help you?"

"Because I saved your wings when I brought Catherine and Alec together. Fourteen generations of True Love, that's what I want."

"Nobody's ever had fourteen generations of True Love."

"I know. The most is twelve, when I unite Reinette and her True Love it shall be thirteen. When I unite Belle-"

"Who is Belle?"

"Reinette's daughter, of course."

"And I suppose you have Belle's True Love decided?"

Merlin grinned. "Oh, I can't wait to see the look on your face, Goldie."

"To what end do you need fourteen generations of True Love?"

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know? Point is, you help me unite Reinette with her True Love and you can take all the credit. That ought to keep that blue tart happy, eh?"

"What happened with you two?," asked the Gold Fairy.

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"What is it you want from me?"

"Fairy dust."

"There's a limited supply..."

"What are you saving it for? To make a coach from a pumpkin?"

"I have to spread it out over a year."

"Well, you just think about it," said Merlin. "Get back to me."

"Where are you going?," asked Goldie.

"A ball."


Beatrice stared in the mirror. She was trying to get ready for her very first day at her new school. Storybrooke High didn't have a uniform unlike the elementary and junior high so she was charged with coming up with an outfit that conveyed, "Yes, I'm the Dark One's daughter, but really, I just met the guy a month ago and maybe be my friend?" She had ended with an old fall back: a dark floral skater dress, black leggings, her favorite ankle boots and a blue cardi. That and her usual red leather messenger bag, she was set.

Maybe. There were about five other outfits laid out on the bed.

There was a knock at the door.

"Beatrice?," Gold asked. "I've made breakfast."

"Okay," said Beatrice.

"I want you to have time to eat before we have to go."

"I'm not really much of a breakfast person."

"You have to eat something."

Beatrice screamed silently at her reflection. How could someone she barely knew be smothering her?!

"Beatrice?"

"I'm coming," she said.

Outfit changing would have to wait. She doubted it would make any difference anyway.


Belle and Gold had settled into a routine. He cooked breakfast, she sat. Belle wondered how the switch had happened, but Gold didn't mention it so she thought it was best to leave it alone.

"You don't think I've tried to get her to eat in the morning, Rumple?," asked Belle.

"I don't see how she can function. Besides, you hear about these poor girls in this world with these disorders..."

Belle raised an eyebrow at Gold. "Have you been reading my books on raising teenage girls?"

"Well, you had them laying out."

"Beatrice doesn't have those problems, thank the Gods," said Belle.

"Any other problems she might have?"

Belle smiled. Then she couldn't help it, she giggled and covered her mouth.

"And what is so funny?," asked Gold.

"You got to the sex part of those books, didn't you?"

"Forgive me if I don't quite find the humor in it."

"We've already had the talk," said Belle.

"Oh, Gods..." muttered Gold.

"She's not doing anything! She didn't even have a crush at her old school."

"And you think she'd tell you?"

"Yes, she would."

Gold narrowed his eyes at Belle. "There's something you're not saying."

"Nothing... just that she's on the pill anyway, but it was just because she was having awful menstrual cramps..."

Gold groaned like someone who had been sucker punched with two things he didn't want to know.

"It's your own fault, really," said Belle.

Beatrice entered. She put down her bag and took the seat at the counter next to Belle. She looked from her mother to Gold.

"What did I miss?," she asked.

"Nothing," Belle said quickly.

"Nothing," Gold confirmed, hoping to later find a way to wipe away the memory of the conversation from his mind. "What would you like?"


It was a pleasant day at the Duke's Castle. Reinette awaited her ball and her dear friend Princess Eva had finally arrived to pass the time with her, bringing much needed gossip.

"She made straw from gold?," Reinette asked Eva.

Eva nodded. "I saw it with my own eyes. The miller's daughter."

"So, you're not to marry Prince Henry after all?," teased Reinette.

"He's engaged to her. Gods help him."

"Why do you say that?"

"There was a look in her eyes I didn't like," said Eva.

Reinette rolled her eyes. "What did you do to her before that?"

"Nothing!"

Reinette looked at her again. "Eva."

"I tripped her."

"Why would you do such a thing?"

"I don't know. I didn't like her scowl. This is why I need you as my lady-in-waiting. To keep me in check."

Reinette nodded. "You should make amends with the new princess as soon as possible. It does no good to have powerful enemies."

"Fifth in line to be queen?"

"Yes, well, remember how far back she started from."

A maid appeared. She bowed. "My lady. Your highness."

"Yes, Anna?," asked Reinette.

"His Grace requests your presence in the drawing room. One of the guests has arrived."

"The wizard?," asked Reinette.

"Merlin?," Eva whispered.

"The very same," said Reinette.


"My darling girl," said the Duke. He took Reinette's hand and turned her to Merlin. "You, of course, have met, but I think my girl does not remember it."

"Of course," said Merlin. "You've grown a bit taller."

Reinette smiled. "I should hope so, sir. Might I introduce..."

"Her highness, Princess Eva of the Northern Kingdom," said Merlin. "Of course."

Eva looked in shock as she rose from her curtsy. "That's remarkable."

"Well, not really," said Merlin.

"Merlin wanted a word alone," said the Duke. "If that is all right with you, Reinette?"

"Of course, Papa."

The Duke gave her a kiss on the forehead and escorted Princess Eva out. Reinette turned to Merlin as he sat back down.

"What have your parents told you of me?," asked Merlin.

"That you united them," said Reinette. "That you require me for something."

"Does that not concern you, my lady? That I require something of you?"

"You helped them find True Love and their parents and their parents' parents. I would think what you require of me must be in the same vein and how can love be bad?"

"You're so young..." said Merlin. "When you're as old as I am, you learn that not all love is good. Not all love is true. I just recently had to help a friend... an acquaintance, really, come to grips with the same concept and he was much older than you are."

"Was his heart broken?," asked Reinette.

Merlin smiled ruefully. "Oh, Reinette, his heart has been nothing but broken since he was a boy."

"Can you not help him?"

"I'm helping him now."

Reinette neared the wizard. "Is he the one? Is he my True Love?," she asked with wide eyes.

"I'm afraid not. You're a generation removed."

"Then are you saying my daughter-"

"All in good time, Reinette. All in good time. First, I must help you find your True Love. Now, you must be honest with me, is there anyone I should know about? Prince? Shepherd? Stable boy?"

Reinette shook her head. "I fear not. There is this silly knight, Maurice, but I should never deign to marry him."

"And why not?"

"He's just the usual. All interested in his hunting and his armor and nothing else."

"Should there be something else?"

"My parents dote on each other. I have never heard more than two minutes silence between them when they were not sleeping. They have lived their whole lives together and never run out of conversation."

"He listens to her."

"And she to him. That is what else there should be."

Merlin motioned. "Have a seat."

Reinette smiled and sat in the chair.

"What are you interested in?"

"Is this True Love or are you merely matchmaking?"

"One may well inform the other."

"I weave and spin." She caught the glint of Merlin's smile. "Is something funny about that?"

"You'll see what I mean later. What else?"

"Music. I play the piano, harp and violin. I also sing. I shall be singing at my ball tomorrow."

"Excellent," said Merlin. "We shall let the siren's song lure in your True Love."

"I don't know how I feel about being called siren."

"Tell me, why do noble ladies learn music and sing?"

"Why?"

"Indulge me."

"So others will think we are cultured. So we can get a good husband. To pass the time. Why else?"

Merlin nodded in consideration. "Have your parents told you I can travel between realms?"

"No."

"One of these realms is a Land Without Magic."

"A Land Without Magic?," Reinette asked incredulously.

"In this land, they have music, they have such music, Reinette. Music that could make you weep tears of sadness or joy. Men and women toil for this music. Not just noblewomen and troubadours. People, all people, gather to hear it and they have these things that record the music and make it so that the moment can be replayed again and again."

"You said there was no magic."

"There's not."

"Then how can such a thing be possible?"

"They made it possible. They invent, they create. They don't use magic to solve their problems."

Reinette smiled. "Then what did they want with you there?"

"That's just it. They didn't want anything with me there."

"Is that why you wanted to be there?"

Merlin nodded. "I fear I am keeping you from your dress fittings and music lessons and your girlish gossip. Go on."

Reinette stood. "I shall see you at dinner."


Beatrice walked down the hall.

It was the break between third and fourth period. Storybrooke's educational system had been reworked in the weeks since the Curse broke since everyone had been in the same freaking grade for twenty-eight years. Beatrice didn't know why that hadn't been a hint. Beatrice was the only genuinely new student besides the freshmen. She might have been the new girl, but everyone knew who she was, especially the teacher of her first period English class who had traded her firstborn for some cows or something. Why that was Beatrice's fault, she didn't know. Actually why that was the Dark One's fault, she didn't know. She was fairly certain she would have to ask to change teachers and hoped it didn't involve a visit from Gold.

She walked into her physics classroom. Science. Tricky in terms of seating because it was all shared. By the end of this, she would have to sit in close proximity to someone and there was a chance they would be working on their first assignment together. If she played her cards right, she might be able to get her new lab partner to overlook the fact her father was the Dark One in light of the fact she was great at Physics.

The others were quickly taking their seats. Beatrice had to walk further back. There were whispers- she was getting used to that- and the students were joining forces quickly. Finally, there was the odd girl out, in this case, a petite Asian girl. Beatrice sat on the stool next to her.

"Hi," she said, summoning her best Belle impression as she got out a notebook and a pen. "I'm Beatrice."

"Christine Morimoto," the girl replied tartly. "Of course, in our land I was Ayako. I believe you've met my husband. Ayoki."

"Doctor Morita?," she asked, blocking "ewwww" from escaping her lips.

"We used to be the same age," said Christine. "Then someone showed him the way to a fountain of youth. For a price."

"Then why are you younger?"

"I drank too much. Of course no one warned me. Now I'm cursed in this land, separated from my husband by cruel fate."

Beatrice started to get the impression Christine was not going to care about how good she was at Physics.

"So, do people go off campus for lunch or..."

Christine stood, collected her things and walked over to the next table. Beatrice stared back at her notebook.

Okay. This could work. Someone else would eventually have to sit next to her.

Then the bell rang and the door shut.

She was the odd number.

Oh, God. She would have to join a group with two people and it was unlikely both of them would accept her. Worse, she might have to work with the teacher. Then she would be the dork with the teacher as a partner.

She was screwed.


Beatrice took the opportunity of lunch to retreat to the library. The system had worked at her old school. The other social outcasts stared at her, then looked away quickly so she found a study carrel in the furthermost corner.

She did luckily have a lunch packed thanks to the Dark One. At her old school, it was dorky to bring lunch and she had planned on ditching it, but was now grateful she hadn't. She set up her Macbook with some earbuds and took to her sandwich. It was actually pretty delicious with Italian meats on soft bread. Say what you wanted about Rumplestiltskin, the guy could cook. She looked in the dorky Thermos to find iced coffee and found some grapes.

She felt a poke on her shoulder and looked back to see the librarian.

"You can't eat in here."

"Yeah, sorry, it's my first day and it's not really going well-"

"There are rules. Don't think you're above them."

"I never said I was above them. I just am having a really bad day-"

"Are you talking back to me?"

"No, look, I'm not even getting anything on a book."

"Go to the office."

"The office? I'll put this up."

"You should have put it up when I first came over."

"I-"

"The office! Now!"


Beatrice was in the principal's office.

She had never been in the principal's office.

Of course, she had never burned a car before she came to Storybrooke, so...

The door swung open and Beatrice felt the same hush she had before at the diner. She cringed, realizing what had happened, hearing the tap of a cane and not the clacking of Belle's heels.

"Are you alright?," asked Gold.

"It's the principal's office. Not a dungeon. Where's Mom?"

"Your mother's having lunch with Mary Margaret. I saw no reason to interrupt her." Gold turned to the secretary. "I'm here to speak to Principal Walker. Now."

"He's busy-"

"Now," Gold repeated.

The secretary nodded and got up, hurrying off.

"Can I please know what you did?," asked Gold.

"I ate lunch in the library," Beatrice said in what she thought was the lamest confession in human history.

"You ate lunch in the library?," Gold asked. She could tell he thought it was the lamest confession in human history as well.

"I have been here all day trying to... I just wanted to have lunch without getting stared at. Okay?"

Principal Walker appeared. "Uh, Mr. Gold, won't you come in?"

"No, I believe we can finish this here. Was I called because my daughter was eating lunch in the library?"

"Well, there is no food or drinks in the library-" he stuttered.

"This is a school, not Her Majesty's dungeon," said Gold. "You're her principal and no longer her mother's jailkeeper. Perhaps if you can't remember that simple fact, it seems to me you no longer need to be the principal. Now, is my daughter missing valuable instructional time while you detain her for this joke of an infraction?"

"It won't happen again, Dar- Mr. Gold."

"I'm pleased to hear that." He looked at Beatrice. "Beatrice, is there anything Principal Walker could do for you to make this transition easier?"

Part of her thought she should say no. Then another part of her figured Gold was already here.

"Actually, I need to change English teachers," said Beatrice.

"What's the problem?," asked Gold.

"Someone traded her firstborn for some cows."

Gold looked as if he couldn't remember that. "Well, I'm certain Principal Walker will have that resolved by the end of the day. Won't you?"

"Yes, Mr. Gold."

"Good," said Gold. "I will see you at the shop after school and I look forward to hearing everything about your day."


Merlin stood unhappily at the party. He could mingle with the best of them, it was part of his particular skill set, but he was never truly involved. At least at the home of the Duke and Duchess of Padua, they were never false. They were quite possibly the best people he knew.

The Duchess approached him. "Merlin?"

"Your Grace," said Merlin, kissing the Duchess' hand.

"What nonsense have you been filling my daughter's head with? A land without magic?," she asked.

"I didn't realize my tales would have such an impact," said Merlin.

"We have music here, you know," said Catherine.

"Not like this," said Merlin. "They have music and stories and paintings."

"You speak like a man who is tired of life."

"If you knew how long I have lived, Your Grace, you would understand the reason why though I wiould never wish it upon you."

"Have I missed something?," the Duke asked, joining them.

"Merlin is disenchanted with our land," said Catherine.

"Oh, well, perhaps Reinette can liven your spirits. My lady?"

The Duchess took the Duke's arm and together they walked up the grand staircase where they could look down upon the guests.

"My lords, ladies and gentlemen!," the Duke called out. "My wife and I are delighted to welcome you to our home to celebrate the introduction of our daughter, Reinette, into society. So she wishes to favor us all with a song. Won't you please welcome her?"

They applauded and Merlin half-heartedly joined in. He had heard many a noble lady sing and rarely one with any talent. Reinette stepped forward.

"When you're alone, silence is all you know..."

Merlin looked up and stared, enraptured by the nature of her voice. It was soft and grew and grew...

"When you are here, music is all around. When you are near, music is all around. Open your eyes, don't make a sound..."

Her voice seemed so much deeper than Reinette had seemed, lending new layers and new depths to the young girl.

"Let in the light, let in the shadow, let in the light of your bright shadow. Let in the light, let in the light of your sweet shadow..."

She finished to an appreciative audience. She accepted kisses from her parents and then went to mingle, eventually making her way to the wizard.

"Well, Merlin," said Reinette, "I know it can't rival the music of the Land Without Magic, but will it do?"

"Yes, my lady, I think it will do," said Merlin. "A siren's call indeed."

Reinette smiled. "Then I shall look for my victim. Please excuse me."


Beatrice laid on her bed, watching her third episode of Doctor Who on the new flat screen television on the opposite wall. Belle knocked and walked in.

"So," she said, "I guess I don't need to ask how school went?"

"They've had twenty-eight years to strengthen their cliques," said Beatrice. "It's Mean Girls times a thousand."

Belle sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sure they're not all like that."

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it matters. You'll make a friend."

"Oh, right, I almost forgot about my bubbly personality. My charm. My breathtaking natural beauty."

"You do have charm and breathtaking natural beauty," said Belle. "You just don't believe it."

"I know, I know..."

"You don't know and that's always confounded me, but then again, I've seen it before." Belle held out a box. "Here."

"What is it?"

"It looks like a box," said Belle.

Beatrice sat up and took it. She opened it, revealing the necklace she had noticed in Gold's shop only now it the colors in the opal were swirling.

"It belonged to my mother," said Belle. "It was part of her trousseau. Your papa says it's magic."

"What does it do?"

"He has no idea."

Beatrice's face dropped. "Oh, good."

"He says it's women's magic. Perhaps you'll figure it out."

Belle got up and walked towards the door.

"If it's magic," said Beatrice, "why did your mom have it?"

Belle shrugged. "I don't know. She was the product of True Love. I'll have to tell you about her parents sometime. They were quite a story."

"Like Emma," said Beatrice.

"Like Emma and you," Belle said pointedly.

"You never got it to do anything?," Beatrice asked as she touched the gem, causing it to flash a brilliant white light.

"I touched it once when I was carrying you," said Belle. "You need magic to make it work and you are the only magic I have ever had."

"And she never said what it did?," asked Beatrice.

"I remember she wore it when she was happiest," said Belle. "Your papa says dinner will be done in twenty minutes."


Moe looked behind him as he opened the door for Percy into the backroom of Game of Thorns.

"My brother knights," he said.

"Good to have you with us again," said Percy.

"Will Mother Superior be joining us?," asked a knight turned garbage man.

"Any moment," said Moe.

"Then we can discuss what is to be done about Merlin's Vision," said Percy.

"Indeed," Moe agreed.