A/N: Episode 6 The Shepherd. This is the story of how James (the 'real' James) came to George. It's a little long but hopefully that isn't a problem. I have written so much stupid little oneshots that it felt refreshing to actually write a story, even if it is about jerky mcjerkface George. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the epic characters (and David/Charming) in the television series Once Upon a Time, those belong to the creators, writers, and ABC. these characters were brought to life by the amazing actors that play them (and Josh Dallas; just kidding) :)
King George was upset and desperate, the perfect combination for him. "What troubles you, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, causing the king to jump at his sudden appearance.
George recovered quickly, standing up straight, a look on his face as if he had stepped on something foul.
"What do you want from me, Rumpelstiltskin, I have no deal I wish to make with you," he said, his superior tone causing Rumpelstiltskin to give a short giggle.
"Oh, there isn't is there?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, walking around the king, a wide smile painting his face. Rumpelstiltskin could see the disgust the man so obviously showed, but underneath that he could see that small glimmer of desperation that he thirsted for. George was very good at holding his ground, but if there was anything Rumpelstiltskin was good at, it was weeding out that one desperate desire and making a deal out of it.
"Leave my kingdom at once," George said, his voice firm and harsh. Rumpelstiltskin couldn't help but giggling at the man's poor show of charisma.
"I can see acting isn't your strong suit, your majesty," he said with a grin. "Now, about that wife of yours..."
"You leave her out of this!" George yelled, his face already reddening.
"Oh," Rumpelstiltskin said in an overly apologetic voice, "so you do know why I'm here." At this, the king crumbled, well slightly, his face aging more than it should of a man his age.
"This is the fourth time the child has died. My kingdom needs an heir, Rumpelstiltskin. You may not know much about politics or hierarchy, but what I need now more than anything is a child."
Rumpelstiltskin wiped away a tear with his finger, sniffling. "Very touching, my king. So, name your price."
George looked at him, aghast at the question. "Oh come now dearie, you know I wouldn't be here unless you were willing to play too. Now, name it and I will leave."
George stood still for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of a deal no doubt. "
You can provide me with a child? A son?" George asked hopefully, Rumpelstiltskin giving a pleased grin. "Well I can do so much more than that but if that's all you require than I am more than happy to oblige. For a price," he said pointedly.
Weighed with this heavy decision, George seemed to come to a conclusion. "What is your price?" he asked through gritted teeth.
"Ah," Rumpelstiltskin said gleefully, putting his finger to his chin in deep thought. "In order to have an heir I simply ask that one day I will give you a simple command. It will be simple and easy to understand. I give you a son and when the day comes I give you this command, you will obey it immediately." George pondered the strange request, seeming to find it fine.
"You have yourself a deal, Rumpelstiltskin, I will do this command but only if I get a son within the next year. Are we agreed?" Rumpelstiltskin gave a gleeful chuckle, putting his hand out for the king to shake. After a moment of hesitation George accepted the shake and in a puff of smoke the imp was gone.
Within the next few months, the queen, Attina became with child.
George couldn't be more pleased, knowing that his wife would soon have a healthy baby boy and a perfect heir for the kingdom.
As the months went on, however, the queen began to show similar signs that she had with the last few pregnancies but more so than ever before. The symptoms became worse as the months went on and George feared for his wife.
He was about to consult a healer or some medicinal expert, when he returned.
In a similar fashion as the time before Rumpelstiltskin appeared in front of the king in an instant.
"What do you need this time, Rumpelstiltskin? I have no need for a deal." Rumpelstiltskin grinned at he looked at the king, and this smile seemed even more malicious than any other he had seen from the monster.
"I have come to collect my debt, dearie. You do remember that part of the deal you made not too long ago correct?" George nodded, apprehension turning his stomach in knots. Now that it was time for the command, George began to wonder what it may be.
"As I said before, the command is a simple one, easy to follow. If you should not follow this command, you will never have a child and this kingdom will be doomed. Are we clear before I proceed?" George nodded, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.
"Good," he said with another smile. He walked around the king with one foot directly in front of the other, a look of deep thought on his face. After a moment he snapped his finger, rolling his last three fingers until his index was pointed at George. "My command is this. While your wife is pregnant and during birth, you will not give her any sort of help from healers or anything medicinal. Her birth will be purely natural, no herbs or anything. You will follow this command completely."
George's face paled at the command, knowing that he had no choice but to follow it word by word. His wife was getting so much worse, but Rumpelstiltskin promised he would have a child, so surely she and the baby would be safe.
George gave a curt nod, wanting nothing more than to be away from this foul, corrupt beast.
"I will not give my wife any form of help so long as she is pregnant or during birth. I promise," he vowed. Rumpelstiltskin gave a nod of approval and began to walk away.
"Oh and I almost forgot," he said, holding up a finger. "I will be here when your wife gives birth." With that he turned into smoke once more, king George feeling much more anxious than before.
As the month of her birthing neared, Attina was worse then ever before, her pleas for some form of help to relieve her headaches and stomach pains hurting George from his very core.
Soon she wasn't even able to leave her bed, her body often writhing in pain and sweat covering the bed sheets. George hated seeing his wife suffer, but he could do nothing for fear of what may happen.
The fact that Rumpelstiltskin never went back on a deal comforted George somewhat, knowing that even though his wife suffered now, that they would soon have a wonderful son to name their own.
The day had finally come for Attina to give birth, and the way she looked was awful.
George had clarified with Rumpelstiltskin that it would not go against their agreement if his wife had a nursemaid to help with the birth. Rumpelstiltskin obliged and George gave the maid explicit instructions to not give her any sot of medicinal care during the birthing.
George sat outside the room, his wife's screams of pain cutting away at him as he waited. As the hours went on the screams became less and less until they stopped altogether.
George noticed though, there was no infant cry coming from the room. In fact, there was no sound coming from the room at all, it was silent. George opened the door, fear in his eyes as he saw what lay behind the door.
The nursemaid was crying softly at the foot of the bed, his wife unmoving on the bed, her eyes closed and her skin pale and pasty. George rushed over to the bed, tears starting to form in his eyes.
He gently picked up Attina's hand, but it was cold and limp, lifeless. George gazed down at her chest, hoping fro some small sign of breathing, but there was none.
His wife, his beloved queen, was dead. And he had done nothing to help her, he couldn't. He now fully realized how twisted Rumpelstiltskin was, the torture of watching him watch his wife suffer alone must have been a real pleasure for him.
George looked over at the sobbing nursemaid, his face set into a hard mask. He still had one hope left.
"The child?" George asked, his voice hard as steel and just as cold. The maid must have just realized he had come into the room, hiccuping herself into silence, wiping her tear streaked face with a small towel. Looking up at the king fearfully, the maid gave a quick shake of her head, her eyes wide as she answered him. "I am so sorry, my king," she whispered before flinging down the towel and rushing out of the room.
No child. The child had not survived. He had given up his wife's life for nothing.
Balling his hands into fists, George's face morphed into one of complete despair and rage. He ran out of the room, rage clouding his vision. He walked out into the hall.
"Rumpelstiltskin!" George shouted, looking around frantically for the evil thing that had taken his wife's life. "Come out you coward!"
"Temper, temper. Not a very good quality in a king."
The familiar chirp set George off, turning and seeing Rumpelstiltskin standing behind him, a small basket beside him.
"You...you," George spluttered, his fist coming up of their own accord, aimed for the man's face, all of his rage put into that one swing.
Rumpelstiltskin only too easily blocked the shot, George nearly losing his balance. He caught himself just in time and rounded to take another shot. Rumpelstiltskin put his hand up and caught the king's fist, the momentum nearly shattering his hand.
"My wife is dead because of you!" he shouted, jerking his hand away from the creature's touch.
"Childbirth is a very deadly event my king, it isn't my fault your wife was so unfortunate as to have not survived it." This angered George even further.
"You never go back on a deal, Rumpelstiltskin! My wife is gone as well as the child so what the hell was this, a sick game to you?"
Rumpelstiltskin shushed him before he could continue ranting. "I did not go back on my deal, George. I said I would provide a child and I have."
Picking up the small basket that had been beside him, George looked into it to see a small sleeping baby inside. "What?" George said, his mind unable to understand what was happening.
"I said that I would provide you a son and I have. The fact that your wife was pregnant during this time was just a coincidence," he finished the sentence nastily, placing the basket in George's hands.
"Here is your son. Take great care of him for his price must have been worth it," he finished, walking away, leaving the distraught king all alone with the sleeping babe.
After that day George spent every waking hour tending to his son, the nursemaid that had helped his wife was told that a professional had come in later and had managed to bring life to the child. As James began to grow older, George spent all his hours teaching him how to be a ruler, everything from fighting to politics. The death of his wife never fully left his heart, a large scar formed where she once lived. But for now, he had a son and an heir. He would focus on that for now, it was enough.
A/N: Okay just to clarify, I think King George is the cruelest guy in this thing, but when I came up with this story, it gave me a little perspective about what he had probably gone through to become such a jackA. He still sucks but now I get him a little better. I really hoped that this story was okay and that I portrayed Rumpelstiltskin alright. Hope you enjoyed it, sadly the other oneshots will not be nearly as long.