"This is my church of choice
Love's strength standeth in love's sacrifice
For the rest, I have to say to you
I will dream like the God
And suffer like all the dead children."
Nightwish - "7 Days To The Wolves"
The sound of hooves grew closer as Red and the old woman prepared themselves for attack.
"I don't even know your name," Red said, her body tense and ready to fight.
"I'm simply an old woman, dear child. Names aren't of any importance. And if I'm not mistaken, we have very little time.
Red looked at the old woman and saw her body begin to shift. The old woman's bright blue eyes quickly became dark brown, her gnarled body becoming lupine. Moments passed and Red gasped softly. The old woman had turned into a wolf- her pelt was of darkened silver and in this form, the old woman was powerful.
Red focused and set the wolf inside of her free. Her eyes shifted quickly to topaz and when the transformation was complete, Red had turned into the wolf- her pelt was dark auburn, her body sleek and powerful.
The two women quickly went to opposite ends of the former camp, hiding in the brush.
Six horses entered the clearing, three of them the Queen's knights and the other three the wolves of the camp who had tried to displace Jiminy. Red knew they'd betrayed them and glanced over to the old woman's wolf. The silver wolf nodded, seeming to know what Red wanted.
Within moments, Red attacked, lunging at the throat of one of the traitors. She felt no remose, no pity- absolutely nothing as she felt the man's body twitch, his blood pouring into her mouth. His death was not mean to be honorable- he was a traitor. The other two were just as bad- placing their lusts for a woman above the safety of innocent children.
The remaining men screamed in horror at the sight, giving the silver wolf time to make her move. She attacked two of the knights, knocking one of his horse as she mauled the other one.
The remaining night tried to escape, only to have the silver wolf take him down and drag him into the woods, his screams echoing throughout the forest.
Red eyed the remaining two, feeling rage boil inside her.
Within moments, they were dead, their bodies mutilated beyond recognition. A dark satisfaction filling her, Red focused and shifted back to her human form, blood still smeared across her mouth. She quickly grabbed her cloack and enveloped herself in it.
Seconds later, the old woman walked to Red, rubbing her neck.
"Ach. Now I remember why I don't enjoy this as much as I used to," she grumbled, accepting her cloak from Red.
"Are you all right?" Red asked, concerned.
"Don't worry about me, young one. I've learned to live with this for many years," she replied, smiling.
"We need to go to the ridge."
"Not me, love. If you don't mind, I think I'd just take one of the horses and go visit your Grandmother. Just to let her know that you've learned so much control," the old woman said, winking at Red.
Red tilted her head at the old woman as she walked to the horse. There was something odd about her..
Belle heard the screaming and the roaring. Curiousity overtook her fear as she slowly made her way to a clearing. She saw a figure in he center, surrounded by several dead bodies. Belle gasped.
"Red?!" she exclaimed in disbelief.
Red turned around, prepared for another fight. As she saw Belle, her face melted into one of pure relief and joy.
Red ran to Belle and they embraced, crying softly. It had been over a year since the two had last seen each other. Red's grandmother had been a maid in Belle's former home for many years and the two girls had grown up together. Belle never understood why they left a year ago- without warning or cause.
"I heard that the Dark One took you. Did you escape?" Red asked, brushing her friend's hair from her face.
A pain hit Belle's heart, remembering the words he'd said to her, his madness and paranoia all too fresh in her mind.
"No..." she said softly, looking down.
"Did he hurt you?" Red asked gently. Belle shook her head, fighting back tears.
Red stilled, worried. She knew Belle had always been different and in all the years she'd known Belle, she'd never seen her like this- so broken. So sad.
"Come with me, Belle."
Belle followed as she held her friend's hand, finally allowing the tears to fall.
The Dark One woke, his head foggy and body weak. He was in his lab, which was now a mere shell of its former self. Glass was everywhere, in shards and slivers. Multi-colored potions ran down the tables and walls in small streams, intermingling with the stone. He lifted himself, wincing when he felt thousands of slivers dig deeper into his hands.
Rumplestiltskin put his bloodied hands to his head, fighting off the pain and throbbing. His mouth felt dry, as if someone had poured sand in it. He couldn't seem to get his thoughts in order, nor his memories.
He remembered Belle, remembered the night of lust. But why had she looked at him as if he were mad? As if he were breaking her down into irreperable pieces?
"Belle?" he called, his echoed voice causing his head to throb moreso. Groaning, he walked down the steps to the spinning room. Perhaps she was there.
The first thought that hit him was how unnaturally dark it was. The fire was always burning, but it was as if no one had been in this room.
Panic rose in his chest. He quickly ran through the castle, looking for her and calling her name. But she wasn't there.
He quickly gave up on that idea and instead fetched a pewter bowl and magicked water into it. As he poured a potion into the water, he spoke the words.
"Show me Belle."
The potion swirled and in moments, he saw her. She was with the wolf, walking through the forest. Had she escaped. He stilled when he heard her voice.
"It was as if he were possessed, Red. I...I'd never seen him like that," she said softly and fearfully.
"I've never been fond of the imp, but..what happened?" the wolf asked.
"I don't know. He left sometime during the morning. I suppose he had deals to make- something of that sort. And when he returned...he wasn't himself. He was gripped by something- madness. Paranoia. I was afraid he'd hurt himself and when I went to him.." Belle stopped, the tears wouldn't allow her to speak further.
"Do you know if he was under a spell?" Red asked, stroking her crying friend's back.
"He...he kept accusing me of trying to steal his power, Red. He told me to leave; that his power meant more to him than I ever would," Belle sobbed, wrapping her arms around her knees.
Rumplestiltskin cleared the water, anger rising.
Regina. She'd given him burdock root- it was the only thing that caused such paranoia.
But how? How?
The tea.
Rumplestiltskin seethed in anger, wanting to destroy Regina and take Belle back.
He was prepared to do so when he began to remember slightly...how he had almost hurt her.
He stopped dead in his tracks, thinking, although what he desired more than anything was impossible to have.
He felt himself cry. Slightly shocked, he wiped away the tear. His dark heart was being twisted and pulled apart, the thoughts stabbing deeper into his soul.
She wouldn't be safe with him. What if something like...that happened again? He couldn't trust himself. Not with her...not when he had so many enemies.
He walked like a blind man, not really noticing where he was going, not caring. Yet, he found his way to her oom and saw her cloak on a chair. He clutched it to his chest as a child and let the tears fall freely, his heart breaking with each one.
"Let her believe that. Let her believe she means nothing to you. She'll be safe with the wolf," he kept thinking to himself.