The Price of Magic

By: RosexKnight

The pirates are dealt with. Last deals are made. But, all magic comes with a price.

Chapter 20

The last syllable of The Dark One's name hadn't fallen from Belle's lips before the metal she felt at her throat was gone. A thump and an odd yelp was all that was heard before she registered what had happened and turned. Rumpelstiltskin was holding Hook by his throat clear off the deck. For the odd choked sound he'd made, the pirate didn't seem at all frightened, instead sporting a confident smile.

"You are either very stupid, dearie or have a death wish." Rumpelstiltskin practically snarled, his tone dangerous. A far cry from the kindness Belle had seen. Much like when Nottingham had kidnapped her. Perhaps worse. "In a hurry to lose your other hand are you?"

"Papa!"

Baelfire's voice reached the spinner before Belle's. He turned, his eyes meeting hers for a moment before falling on his son, held firmly by the lady pirate.

"Milah." Rumpelstiltskin's tone was discernable. He let hook fall to the deck like a sack of flour. "Well this is awkward. The ex and the missus. Always a messy affair."

Baelfire glanced warily to Belle, who did her best to give him a reassuring smile. This was not her Spinner. Judging by the odd tone and the glint in his eye, this was The Dark One. Something, however, was different. Small things only someone close to him like Belle would notice. His eyes weren't as cruel. They were firm but had a definite human quality, not as beastly as last time he'd been this way. His shoulders were tense, not as relaxed as they'd usually be in this situation. And...was he favoring a leg?

"Not so awkward." Milah said confidently. "Not when I only want to make a deal."

Rumpelstiltskin hummed, his eyes flicking back to Belle, then the other pirate. It seemed the rest of the crew had fled, though the princess couldn't blame them. She realized with a start he was silently asking if she was okay, and she gave him a shaky nod, her hands instinctively coming to cover her tummy. Satisfied, his eyes moved behind her.

"Touch her, pirate, and you'll lose more than your hand." He said, and Belle realized Hook had snuck back up on her. Muttering a curse, the pirate stepped back, but she felt no comfort in it.

"I'm not dealing today." Rumpelstiltskin finally said. "I've quite lost interest in any you've planned to present me."

"And you're planning on simply leaving, then?" Milah's brows raised.

"I might sink the ship for good measure."

"I'm sure that's the best thing you can to do in front of our son."

Baelfire seemed to shrink in on himself, and Rumpelstiltskin's eyes flared.

"He's not your son." He said.

Milah laughed, squeezing Baelfire's shoulder. The boy flinched, and Belle wanted to slap the lady pirate for it.

"Your son? You were never fit to be a father or a husband." Baelfire shifted in her grasp, his eyes downcast. "You may have magic but it's only turned you into a monster."

"He's no monster!" Belle snapped, a knee-jerk reaction that earned a glare from the pirate. She didn't care. Standing straight, Belle glared the other woman down. Whatever composure she'd lost from the initial kidnapping was back, and her voice held its old authority. "You have no right to call him that. You left them."

Rumpelstiltskin seemed to relax, but Milah only laughed once again. "You poor naive girl. You have no idea what he was before he was The Dark One."

Belle opened her mouth to retort, but the words evaporated from her tongue as Baelfire wrenched forward, jerking out of the lady pirate's grasp to point at his father. His eyes were wet with fury she'd never seen in them before.

"You said she was dead!" Baelfire snapped. "You told me the pirates killed her! You lied to me!"

The spinner's eyes widened, and suddenly The Dark One looked very helpless. "Bae…"

Behind them Hool laughed. "The boy doesn't know!"

"Know what?" Baelfire didn't take his eyes off of his father.

"Well, back when you were just a tot I met the love of my life at a tavern." Hook stepped around them, coming to stand at Milah's side. His tone was light, confident, his accent gliding over the words as if it were rehearsed. "And she tells me about her boy, who she loves dearly, but his cowardly father is standing in the way of her happiness. Ridiculed, they are, by the town. And then the love of my life begs me to take her away from that life. What was I to do?"

Baelfire seemed to deflate, glancing back to Milah for a moment before looking to Belle helplessly.

"Does she know?" Hook asked no one in particular, gesturing to Belle with his hook. Rumpelstiltskin's blood boiled. "How you came to take your wife back but couldn't even fight for her. Could barely stand on my ship. And you left her because you couldn't fight, limping off with your tail between your legs like the pathetic coward you are!"

Rumpelstiltskin's hand waved, and Hook made an odd choking sound as his tongue appeared in The Dark One's hand. His eyes had changed, fuming with pure bloodlust.

"That's enough." Milah said, stepping forward to take Baelfire by the shoulder again. "The deal."

"I don't think so."

"And you left!" Baelfire suddenly exclaimed, catching all of them by surprise. With a slap he forced his way out of Milah's hold once again. "How could you just leave?!"

"You don't understand!" Milah snapped, an edge of hysteria in her voice as Hook continued to try to find his words beside her. "You were a boy. You don't know what it was like to get the stares of those looking down on you. The branding of a coward on your back. I had to leave! But I planned on coming back when you were old enough. And now-"

"No!" Bae said, flinching away as Milah reached for him once again. "There is no now! You left! And now Belle-"

"That wench isn't your mother."

"Yes she is!"

"Baelfire you'll understand when you're older. Your father is-"

"Enough!" Belle's voice echoed across the deck, the sound of the ocean not even rivaling it. The air stilled. "I have heard enough of what you have to say about my husband and my son."

"He's not-"

"You left. You have no right to him." Belle said, stepping forward. "Where were you when he was on the verge of being drafted? I was in a loveless marriage for three years to save him and countless others. A woman not willing to make sacrifices for her children is not fit for motherhood."

Milah fumed, pushing Baelfire to the side, she drew her sword to press against Belle's throat. Her blood ran cold.

"You forget whose ship you're on, Princess." Her eyes squared on Rumpelstiltskin. "Make a move and her throat is slit. The deal."

Rumpelstiltskin's jaw clenched, fists balling at his sides. He flung Hook's tongue to the deck, leaving the pirate to scramble after it.

"Good." Milah said. "My deal is fair. Child for a child. You're going to leave Baelfie here. to be raised by his real mother. In return you get your wench and whatever hell spawn she's carrying here."

Belle made an involuntary whimper as Milah's finger touched her rounded belly, and Rumpelstiltskin saw red. All at once he rushed forward, Milah's sword glancing Belle's neck as He pushed her back against the edge of the ship.

With horror, Belle realized he was holding her heart.

"Fine." Milah said, an odd smirk covering her features. "This proves it. You're a monster."

"You know nothing." Rumpelstiltskin snarled. He gave the red organ in his hand a squeeze, making Milah cry out in pain "You threatened what I loved most. You deserve what you get."

"Papa!"

"Drop the heart. Rumple, drop the heart!"

Rumple turned, his temper cooling instantly. Baelfire was clinging to Belle's side, the princess standing tall and proud as the other pirate held his Hook to Belle's throat. He didn't touch her, he knew better, but the fear and desperation was clear in his eyes as he stared him down, clutching his still severed tongue in his hand.

Hook's eyes moved to Belle, and she willed herself not to tremble in fear. "A deal!" She finally realized. Hook nodded, looking relieved. "My life for hers."

"Never!" The Dark One boomed, making Baelfire cling harder to Belle's side. "She kidnapped you! And Baelfire! She threatened my family! I cannot let this stand Belle I will not let this stand!"

The cool metal at her throat didn't waver. Belle shook her head. This wasn't him. But he was tired. Hurting. Something was wrong and she needed it to end. "Rumple please. They won't come after us again." Hook nodded instantly, Milah giving him a blazing glare for it. "My life for hers. Them never seeking us again for his tongue. It's fair."

"I'm not dealing with them!"

"Then deal with me!" Belle snapped, making him still. "Deal with me, Dark One. Your wife. Make this deal and take us home."

"Belle…"

"Please papa…" Baelfire whimpered. "I want to go home…"

The spinner blinked. His eyes focused, regaining the entirely human quality. Suddenly, he looked incredibly tired, and he shrunk in on himself. Beside her, Hook relaxed, but Belle didn't take her eyes off of his husband as his eyes once again darkened, and he all but shoved Milah's heart back into her chest.

"Deal." He said, his hand coming up to snap, and with a puff of smoke the three of them disappeared, leaving the Jolly Roger in the hands of it's shambled captains.

The Great Hall was soon beneath their feet, and Belle couldn't help but relax at the familiarity. Her hands drifted to her stomach as she regained herself, her daughter moving softly inside. Baelfire let go of her, seeming to take as much relief in being home as she did. Slowly, her eyes focused on Rumpelstiltskin. He stood, unmoving, the same distance away from her as he had on the ship. She took a step forward, reaching out to him.

"Rumple...Come here."

It took a moment for his wife's words to get through to the spinner. His eyes were bleary and his head was fuzzy from the trip. It had taken too much out of him. He was exhausted. His leg ached. But she was reaching for him, and as his eyes focused on hers Rumpelstiltskin was helpless to do anything more than limp towards his Belle. Her eyes held worry, with perhaps a hint of fear. His skin was pale, his hand clammy. When he reached her it was all he could do to stay upright, his forehead pressed to her shoulder and her hands on her waist.

"Papa?" Bae asked, worry in his voice as well.

"I'm fine." Rumpelstiltskin said, his voice too raw. "Used too much magic all at once. I just need some rest…"

"Rumple this isn't right." Belle insisted. "What's happening? Something's wrong."

"I'm alright." He repeated, the words a mantra, trying to convince himself of it as well. "I'm alright. Everything is going to be alright…"