Chapter Eighteen~
The next time Odette woke she was in an unfamiliar bedroom but heard the familiar voices of the Charming Family hushed and rushed. Standing from the bed, she discovered her necklace on the bedside table and put it on before seeing a flashback before her very eyes.
FLASHBACK~~
She honestly didn't want to go to some silly fancy event of a ball, she didn't like being forced into fancy gowns that glitter and sparkle all because she had to. But tonight was her fifth birthday and that it seemed was an event enough her Father had said. So the maids and servants and even her governesses had fussed about her for weeks before she was put into her ball gown of a lily color purple with a sash of a darker color, sparkles of the shavings of diamonds in the skirt of the gown causing it to literally glitter in the light when she moved. She even was to wear the necklace given as a babe by Cousin Snow White and her husband Charming who would be at the ball tonight. As she was presented into the ballroom she noticed the two of them holding hands and smiling, both saying how grown she had gotten since they had last seen her.
END FLASHBACK~~
Blinking, Odette felt lightheaded as she stepped out of the bedroom and into the living space to find the Charming's talking who all hushed when Henry spotted her. It was Emma who stood up and asked,
"How are you feeling Odette?"
"Alright I think, though I did have an odd flashback—like a reoccurring memory." Odette replied so that Emma insisted,
"Of what?" hoping and maybe even praying it was of the two of them and of their friendship only what she said made her heart ache,
"Of my fifth birthday ball and of Snow and Charming being there." this made Mary and David exchange glances as Henry said,
"It's a start at least. Maybe we can get her memories jogged by having Emma take her to Boston for a while. You know—where she appeared on this side from the Enchanted Forest."
"That's a dangerous idea, besides I'm not leaving you in danger Henry." Emma said not willing to leave her son in danger for any cost. Odette, seeing this wanted to ask where 'Boston' was but didn't as David told Emma,
"We can protect him Emma."
"No, no I'm his mother and I want to be here in any case of any attack by that bitch of a Queen." Emma snapped before turning to Odette to say as she tried to rationale with what was going on,
"Ok, what is the very last thing you remember and think long and very—very hard on it." frowning, Odette started to see snippets of the day before; her being in the glass cage, talking to the Evil Queen, and thinking she'd never see her family and the person she loves again. But—but who did she love? Certainly she loved her family but outside of that? Of that she had no idea.
"Odette?" Emma's voice brought her back to the realm on reality so that she snapped too and blinking a few times said,
"I—I remember a glass cage and talking to the Evil Queen before darkness and water filling my lungs. Whatever happened before that is like—just—black. Just black." confused by her answer, Emma turned to the others but David didn't seemed confused by it, in fact he seemed to know exactly what was wrong as he said,
"She's been erased, memory erased I mean. I've seen it before only a handful of times and only know one person who'd be able to help her."
"Let me guess, Rumpelstiltskin." Emma answered for him but at his name Odette took a step away saying,
"No! No he was the one who told my Father to put me in a well! He was the one who tore me away from my world!"
"And saved you! If your father hadn't done that then you'd been part of the Curse at five years old Odette! You're father died shortly after the Curse was enacted and so wasn't able to come to this world. You are part of our family Odette but whatever you think of Rumpelstiltskin he is the only person who can help you—if you want it." David said honestly and seeing the real trust in his eyes, and in Mary's and even the nod from Emma their daughter Odette frowned but exhaled asking,
"What do I do?" so Emma, David and Odette went to Mr. Gold's shop leaving Mary with Henry at their apartment. Upon entering they found him behind the counter lovingly handling a delicate swan made from glass.
"Mr. Gold, we need your help." David said so that the man sneered,
"Get out of my shop Charming."
"It's to help Odette." Emma added so that Mr. Gold glanced up to see her standing there, looking confused and utterly lost and broken—like him.
"Her memory has been erased. I supposed that somehow it occurred when True Loves Kiss brought her back to life and her True Self came forward." David told Mr. Gold as he set aside the glass swan in order to stand.
"How do you know?" Mr. Gold asked narrowing his eyes at David but he held his ground saying,
"She remembers being put into the glass cage, talking to Regina before drowning. That was part of her life as Darcy right? So then why would she remember that and not anything else as Darcy? Why not be only Odette?" here Mr. Gold didn't know the answer so looked over at Odette and said,
"What is your name?"
"My name is Princess Odette and my father is King William from the Enchanted Forest." Mr. Gold took a step over towards her and looked her in the eyes before waving a hand over her face.
"She has been memory erased, though I cannot figure out why something such as True Loves Kiss would cause such a backlash."
"Is there a way to give Odette her old memories back?" Emma asked growing tired of everything so that he nodded saying,
"But of course, for a price."
"NO!" both David and Emma shouted but Mr. Gold raised his hand saying,
"You didn't let me explain; what I need to do will take a whole day and night to complete and I'll need complete control. That means no interference from anyone that means I'll need a place where I can control the settling. In other words she'll need to come willingly to my home and stay until the process is complete. The spell I will use is very powerful and very draining on the person it is being used upon so when it is all over she will need a place to recuperate."
"All of which can be done at Mary's place." Emma said but Odette, who had been mainly silent the whole time spoke up saying,
"Deal." making everyone turn towards her; David and Emma in shock, Mr. Gold looking rather pleased with himself.
"Darcy," Emma breathed but Odette smiled saying,
"We're friends right? Trust me on this, I'll be fine." Emma felt her eyes stinging with tears but fought them as best she could as she turned to Mr. Gold to say,
"You better not do a damn thing Gold."
"Cross my heart and hope to die." was his responds so that Emma picked up something—a letter opener and putting at his neck said in a death of a whisper,
"You know it." then she dropped it and the three left though just before they did Mr. Gold shouted at them,
"Have someone escort Odette to my home tomorrow morning at eight in the morning if you don't mind!" though the door slammed shut behind them, and he was left to smile and go into the back of his shop. Only as he did so someone entered his shop and called,
"Mr. Gold?" it was the voice from the library, the female librarian.