Chapter Nineteen

Brave

A/AN: This chapter has been burning a hole in my head all day. I hope you guys enjoy our confrontation. Will Rumple be victorious? I hope you guys enjoy the fight scene! This is the first one I've ever did so yeah…On to the chapter!

Rumplestiltskin left out on horseback before the dawn. He kissed Belle goodbye but didn't wake her. He wanted to make sure he could go through with this, and he was certain he wouldn't be able to if he looked into her beautiful blue eyes. The journey was dangerous in itself, but he had to believe in their true love. The golden light from his sword pulled him in the direction of the dark forest. The journey took almost half a day to complete. Once he reached the entryway of the dark forest, he tied his horse to a tree to graze. He knew the beast couldn't go with him.

"I can do this." he assured himself as he entered the pitch black foliage. He was relieved when his sword continued to illuminate his path. The light from the blade combed through the darkness until it stopped in front of the mouth of a cave.

"Well Maleficent it looks like I've found you." he snarled taking in a deep breath as he sauntered into the cave. He trekked on through the cave and the miles of tunnels that lay ahead, a labyrinth to demise without the proper guidance.

The golden hue of his sword grew brighter once he entered a distinct tunnel. He noticed the scattered remains of those who had chose this path before him and failed. Unlit torches lined the walsl until he drew further into the cave. They lit instantly in an ethereal green glow once he passed them.

"I've been expecting you Rumplestiltskin." a voice reverberated through the tunnels as he drew closer to Maleficent's lair. The voice would've made many turn back, but he didn't falter. He continued on until he came to its source. A feminine creature with ashen skin, ruby lacquered lips, and a pair of horns projecting out of her scalp greeted him with a vile grin.

"You've come to kill me I presume." she grinned etching closer to him until she was just a few feet in front of him, hovering over the surface like an apparition.

"Well I sure didn't come to play games dearie." he comeback, readying his stance, ready to thrust his blade through her heart.

"Put that toy away and let me show you something." Maleficent drawled, gesturing him towards her with a single wave of her hand. Rumplestiltskin felt his feet carry him towards the black fairy against his consent.

"Why would I want you to show me anything?" Rumplestiltskin reprimanded, pulling against her magic.

"Because you need to know about your past…our past Rumple before you make any rash decisions." she remarked, leading him towards a looking glass.

"What do you mean our past?" he demanded, holding his sword close to his side.

"Because you and I are far more connected than you dare to believe…" she respired ghosting her fingers across his scarred cheek. He flinched, the feeling of her fingers acidic to the touch.

"I've been waiting for the day when I could tell you everything…" she whispered, conjuring images upon the mirror. He was startled when he noticed images of a young woman holding a squalling babe. He felt his heart break when he noticed a man that looked distinctively like his father shaking the young woman who wouldn't wake. He watched the man that looked like his father hand him to a much younger looking Mrs. Potts.

"Why are you showing me this!?" Rumplestiltskin inquired angrily to the deranged fairy, the images flashing across the screen almost too painful to look at now.

"Because you needed to know who you really are my son." Maleficent revealed, the contours of her face changing to match that of his deceased mothers on the screen.

"NO! YOU'RE LYING!" he bellowed, jumping back. He swung his sword at her, slashing her right cheek, drawing blood in the process.

Maleficent grabbed her right cheek in anguish, "You may be too clever for my tricks, but your remains will soon join the rest of these fools who thought they could defeat me!" she hissed, thrusting her hands out.

He watched as the fairy morphed into a black dragon with fiery red eyes. The dragon roared at him, swinging her tail. He avoided the blow by ducking behind a rock. Maleficent took a deep breath, blowing green flames in his direction. He knew that time was of the essence and that he would have to act fast if he wanted to defeat her.

~X~

"You're not allowed to enter here your highness! Stand back or we'll have you arrested." Leopold's palace guards threatened Cora.

"You underestimate me boys." Cora grinned sinisterly, pushing the guards back with her hands. She could feel Maleficent's power flowing through her, fueling her on. She barely ever got these surges of power, but they came in quite handy when she did. She was going to drag Regina back to Avonlea by the hair on her head and sentence her to a fate worse than that sniveling fool Gaston. She swung open the palace doors, marching through the halls effortlessly, disengaging anyone that tried to stop her with just a flick of her wrist.

"Where's Regina!?" Cora bellowed, picking up a guard by his shirt collar. Her strength doubled when Maleficent reverted to her dragon form. They shared a heart after all and that meant she had access to a supply of the fairy's power as well.

"She's in the west wing with Belle." the guard shivered with fear before she tossed him against the wall. He crumpled to the floor like a broken doll.

"So that little wretch is still alive!" Cora growled when she heard the name that she loathed more than anything. The one person she thought she'd rid the world of was still standing in her way but not for long.

~X~

"This tea was quite lovely Regina. I'm feeling much better today." Belle smiled in much better spirits.

"I'm glad you liked it." Regina beamed, taking Belle's empty cup, placing it back on the tea service.

"You know once Rumple returns, he's going to help you find Daniel. He must be in Albannach like you say." Belle assured her causing her smile to falter.

"Yes but that was every bit of four months ago. He might not even still be alive." Regina muttered dejectedly, causing the beauty to shake her head fiercely.

"Don't talk like that Regina. You mustn't give up on your true love." Belle replied, grabbing the raven haired princess by her hand.

"How can you be so sure?" Regina inquired softly to the chestnut haired girl.

"Don't you see Regina…True love conquers all." Belle said softly, her voice radiating with hope. Regina breathed in deeply hoping to grasp onto some of that hope.

"How precious…It looks like my daughters are finally getting along." a voice interrupted from the door, causing them to look up simultaneously to meet the wicked grin of their vile mother.

"Mother you're not welcome here!" Regina growled standing protectively in front of Belle.

"Oh how touching…You're going to protect the woman who's standing in your way of the throne! I thought I raised you better than that Regina." Cora tisked etching closer to them.

"You mean your throne mother? I never wanted it!" Regina's voice boomed with an authority she didn't realize she possessed.

"Such wasted potential." Cora scoffed, throwing up her hand sending her flying into the wall. Belle looked at her horrified before rushing to Regina's aid.

"How can you be so heartless!? She's your daughter!" Belle screamed, pulling Regina's head into her lap.

"Because I don't have a heart…I gave that burdensome thing up a long time ago, so I could have what I always wanted." Cora hissed, drawing closer to the beauty.

"What are you saying?" Belle demanded in a frightened tone, tears cascading down her cheeks.

"I gave up my heart to Maleficent, so I could have power…It was getting in the way of what I truly wanted. You see without a heart I don't have to worry about anything standing in my way. I'm not vulnerable to emotion or a prisoner to love." Cora smirked until they were face to face.

"Wait…You mean you're responsible for almost causing me to drown? You staged the whole thing so you could get close to my father…You knew he would marry you because he was alone…You took advantage of us and then you…You poisoned him once he served your purpose." Belle swallowed hard, finally catching onto the truth.

"Precisely." she smirked, drawing an ancient looking dagger from her pocket, bringing it upwards, casting it down, ready to thrust into the beauty's heart.

~X~

Rumplestiltskin dodged and rolled his way through the tunnels with Maleficent on his heels. He clutched onto his sword, trying to find just the right moment to distract the beast and send the blade flying into her chest, but she was too agile.

Angry green flames danced around him in a circle. He grimaced at the heat. Maleficent growled lowly, taking in the image of her prey one final time before she barbequed it. She dared him to move, analyzing his every breath, like a cat who had cornered a mouse. It was all over. He couldn't defeat this monster. She was too powerful. His son would be fatherless and his Belle would be a widow, and they hadn't even been married a week.

Rumplestiltskin closed his eyes ready to meet his fate, until he felt a searing heat course through his arm. He opened his eyes, amazed to see the sword glowing brightly with white light.

"All you have to do is believe." the voice of his beautiful wife resounded in his mind. Maleficent hurled more angry green flames towards him, but they didn't burn him. She staggered back when the flames bounced off him, branding her skin.

"Our true love is protecting me." Rumplestiltskin replied in astonishment. He held the sword high above his head, before throwing it with all his might. He focused all of his energy on directing the blade to its primary target.

Maleficent staggered back as the blade pierced her heart. Ethereal green light illuminated the tunnels, the dragon's scales breaking off into pieces, scattering in the process. Rumplestiltskin literally watched her disintegrate before his very eyes, the true source of her power gone.

He walked towards the place where she previously stood and retrieved his sword. He picked it up, golden light surrounded him, transporting him outside of the caves. He blinked surprised to see sunlight filtering through the foliage. He realized that the darkness permeating the forest was because Maleficent dwelled here and since she was gone, light could dominate this place once more.

He walked through the forest feeling at ease. The horse he'd ridden still stood where he'd left it munching on some grass. He pet the stallion's head before untying it, "Let's go home. I promise you a a big juicy apple once we get back to the palace.". The horse neighed in response, leading him back towards Astyn.

~X~

Belle closed her eyes knowing any second now that Cora's dagger would pierce her heart but it never came. She opened her eyes surprised to seeing her staggering backwards. Belle jumped up immediately, pushing Regina gently to the side.

"She failed me…This must be my price." Cora respired in a stifiled breath, before collapsing onto the floor. Belle's eyes went wide when the woman stopped breathing, her eyes glazing over.

"Someone help!" Belle called out frantically, surprised when Blue burst through the door.

"Are you okay?" Blue inquired gingerly to the frazzled beauty.

"I'm fine but Regina…She's…" Belle stopped, tears filling her eyes. Blue flew to the other girls aid. She felt of her pulse and sighed, "She's going to be fine. She's just unconscious." the fairy reassured her, gently lifting Regina up and placing her on the bed.

"What about her?" Belle inquired pointing towards Cora's limp body, refusing to make eye contact with it.

"Let me check." Blue swallowed hard, kneeling beside Cora. She felt of the woman's pulse, shaking her head, "She's gone."

"She was about to stab me with a dagger but then she collapsed. She was telling me about how she gave up her heart to Maleficent for power and that she killed my father." Belle choked back a sob, her father's death weighing heavily on her mind.

"She was a very evil woman that my sister corrupted. Maleficent used Cora's heart to stay in her true form. The fact that she's gone must mean…" Blue stopped meeting Belle's eyes with realization.

"That Rumple defeated her…" Belle remarked in revelation, her heart beating joyously. Their true love had conquered all.

A/AN: I'm going to stop here! Cora's dead! I hope you guys enjoyed that! The next chapter will be my last. We will be tying up some loose ends and then there will be an epilogue. I'm sure that wasn't as epic as you were hoping for, but I tried lol. Please review and tell me what you think!