She sat on her throne, in her castle. People liked to call it 'the Forbiden Fortress'. Maleficent knew it from her times as a fairy. Most of the fairies knew about this castle. It was haunted by an evil demon, yaoguai. A demon which held a form of a bear. Maleficent was able to destroy the demon with her dark magic.

But she also learned much about this so called 'demon'. A curse that could actually come in hand someday. Dark magic was something rather better to use. With it she didn't need fairy dust. Unlike the time when she was a fairy. Now she was powerful, finally.

"What do you do in my castle?" Asked Maleficent to the figure who just appeared behind her throne.

"Well, well, Maleficent." Said Rumpelstiltskin as he walked around her throne and then bowed to her. "This is no way to talk to the one who granted you power." There was a smile on his face.

She rolled her eyes and stood up. Not in a moment she expected him to forget about their deal. From the moment Angeline went to him, she would be stuck to this imp for the rest of her life. Or until she found a way to give him what he wanted.

"Sorry. But I still do not possess what you seek." Maleficent told him, walking towards one of the windows in the room. "But I'll keep searching for that." Said as she waved her hand and purple smoke materialized around her hand.

Once the smoke was cleared she was holding her scepter. She gave her a look, he should understand that his presence wasn't really requested. He laughed, it was such an annoying sound. Maleficent placed her hand on her face. Seemed that he was not going anywhere.

Giggling he approached her. "You speak as If I came to grab my prize." Then he walked around her once again. "I only come to tell you I was visited by a certain king and queen." As he said that, Maleficent turned to him with anger in her eyes. "Nice to see I have you attention."

"What did they want?" She asked him, grabbing his arm with her hands. This was a delicate matter, she was still vulnerable about Stefan. As the imp kept laughing she squeezed his arms harder. "Answer me!" Shouted the woman, anger on her eyes.

Rumpelstiltskin stopped laughing and he pointed his free hand to her. Pushing her away. "Do not forget who I am, girl!" Then he smiled to her. Clapping his hands together he walked to her with a smirk on his face. "They wanted a way to save their little girl from a dreadful curse a witch casted upon her."

When he mentioned the term witch, Maleficent looked to him with a smile on her face. Smile that hid her pain, her suffering. During all her life she could never think that she'd end her days being called a witch.

"A witch… I'm so proud." He told her, and then walked to her throne. "I see that you got rid of that little beast."

"Yes. Wasn't very hard with what you taught me." The once fairy said. Using dark magic was easier than using normal magic. She could do more things than usual.

And it felt good. It was like the magic was able to fill the void inside of her. She bit her lower lip, this was not something she should want to ask. Yet she wanted more than anything. But she held on to her impulse to make questions. He was not someone to be trusted. She shall keep her weakness hidden.

"What are you thinking? Love? Family?" Rumpel had materialized behind her. One of the most irritating abilities he held. "Ops. You have none of those. My bad." His words were filled with poison, but she ignored it.

"I do not care for either of them. All I want is justice." She lied. The only reason she had sought the imp's help was because she still had hopes of making Stefan be hers. "You know that."

"Indeed, I do." He said walking towards the other side of the room. "I was thinking of another student of mine. Another fairy. Who lost her wings due to true love. And her true love left her." The way he spoke made pretty clear he knew he hadn't made a mistake. There was too much joy in it.

Maleficent despised how much joy he held to know of her history. It was like she was a little prize of his. Probably due to his hatred towards fairies. All fairies knew him as The Dark One, he was the most feared creature in their land. No single person nor army could truly defeat him. This is why Maleficent decided he might be a good teacher.

And he was. But Maleficent didn't really enjoy their relationship. Rumpelstiltskin was a sick soul and she didn't quite like the sound of his voice. Sometimes she felt like he was only using her to get something. And not only what he requested in his little deal. Still, she kept such thoughts to herself. It was not like he'd share his true intentions with her.

"Can you leave now that you've provoked me?" The fairy asked rolling her eyes and sitting on her throne.

"Thought you might enjoy a lesson or two." He said, looking to her with those big weird eyes.

"No. Not today." She answered him. After being called a witch she felt like there was no need for any lesson. "I really think our lessons might be done."

"Why, dear girl?" He asked, with an offended look in his face. A fake one, of course. "Don't you like my presence?"

"No, I don't." She said in a cold tone. "But this is not the reason I do not want lessons." A crow flew to her, it landed on her hand. Maleficent smiled to the bird. "Need some alone time, Tiltskin."

He narrowed his eyes, then he bowed to her with a smirk on his face.

"As the witch of the castle wish." He said, then he left the castle in a dark cloud of smoke.

Maleficent tried to pay little attention to Rumpelstiltskin's words. She didn't want to let him get to her. The bird had information about Stefan's kingdom. Looks like his little girl was set to marry a prince. When they turned 16. His desperate attempt to stop her curse. That was not going to happen. Whatever the price was, she wouldn't let the girl live.

The Sleeping Curse would take her.

Maleficent was going to make sure of that. No one would ever stand between her and Stefan. And for that she was ready to take his so called wife out of the way. There was a needle with Elise's name on it.

There was only place for one woman on Stefan's life. And that woman would be Maleficent. One way or another.