Meant to update yesterday, but got held up by a dead line. My apologies.

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Chapter 30 – Day 18 to 24: False Hopes

Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire stared at each other and laughed heartily. Each one lay on one of the twin beds of the small but comfortable room. For the first time in their lives, they could rent a night stay at a modest inn, instead of sleeping in the streets like beggars. It was Belle's money that allowed them to enjoy this kind of small luxuries. But they had agreed to deal with their little fortune carefully. They had wisely hiden and spread the silver coins in different pockets. Rumpelstiltskin had only the quantity of coins in his moneybag one would expect a peasant of his condition to possess. They would spend little quantities in each village they visited during their journey. Buy new boots on one, a new cape in the other, never giving the chance for people to wonder where their earnings came from. The last thing Rumpelstiltskin wanted was to raise suspiciousness, be accused of robbery or be himself robbed. The cripple also put a larger quantity aside, for later use. Once he was in Kriemont, he would have to acquire a new spinning-wheel, so he could return to his trade.

"And they say money doesn't bring happiness." Baelfire chucked amused, as he placed his arms behind his head.

"Clearly, whoever said that nonsense had no idea of what he was talking about!" His father retorted, with a wide smile.

This night he would sleep in peace. He didn't need to worry somebody would sneak on him or his son. He didn't have to worry about food and clothes. For the first time in ages, he actually felt relaxed and had the good feeling things were finally falling into their place. He could not have been more mistaken.

Father and son stepped out on the street to continue their journey. They were amazed to sense a strange silence in the streets. It felt like Sunday, when the workers took the morning off to rest.

"Maybe it's a bank holiday." Baelfire suggested.

"I doubt it. The king's birthday was a few days ago, remember? As wealthy as Snowland is, they cannot afford to take so many days off following." The father replied.

They looked at one and other and shrugged clueless. But soon, the answer to their question would be given. As they walked further down the street, they found the villagers concentrated on the main square, surrounding the tree in the middle. In the center, on front of the tree, stood a man dressed in a black outfit.

"What's going on?" Rumpelstiltskin asked a man, but this one turned to him livid and shushed. The cripple and his son switched worried looks and listened to the man in black, who was reading out load an important message to the inhabitants of Snowland.

"… the murderer is still at loose. He goes by the name Genie, has dark skin and comes from the Arabic lands. There is a reward of 2.000 for anybody who finds the Kings' killer, dead or alive." A rumble of voices followed the end of the announcement, while the messenger placed a paper on the tree trunk with a drawing of Lord Leopold's murderer.

"Wait! The king is dead?" Rumpelstiltskin asked shocked.

"Apparently he died three days ago." The man standing next to him said, looking equally surprised. "The messenger only arrived today."

The cripple and the teenager stared both shocked and worried. Rumpelstiltskin watched the messenger make his way out of the crowd. He quickly followed him. Baelfire understanding his father's intentions, walked along.

"Excuse me." The cripple shyly asked the man dressed in black, who turned to face him. "Uhm…have there been any news about Princess Belle?"

"You are a refugee from Armithil?" The messenger asked out of curiosity. The cripple nodded.

"The princess arrived at the court safe and sound the day before our Lord's birthday party (may the gods protect him). Everybody thought she was dead, especially after Lord Gaston confessed he had lost her. She requested military help and the king agreed, sending immediately a large army to Armithil. Hopefully, your king will have a better fate than ours." The messenger hurriedly told, while he mounted back on his horse. "Now, you must excuse me. I must go to the next village and spread the bad news." He sorrowfully said.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Rumpelstiltskin said. The messenger nodded sadly and made his way out of the small village. The cripple and his son looked at each other and had to do their best not to jump of joy.

"Belle did it! She managed to get help and soldiers are heading to Armithil!" Baelfire exclaimed excited.

"Come, we must go. It's wrong we celebrate while the rest mourns." Rumpelstiltskin said, with a new glint of hope in his eyes.

His son followed him, trying to hide his happiness. They got out of the village as fast as they could. As soon as they were far from any human ear, they yelled, screamed and cheered of joy, their voices echoing in the open fields of Snowland.

Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire stared in complete shock at the papers spread on the walls of streets. They encountered them village after village. The papers displayed the fair face of Princess Snow White. Their blissful moment had been a short one. News travelled slow in a kingdom where events happened and changed as quickly as the weather. The messengers were followed by other messengers, who brought increasingly unfortunate updated news. Princess Snow White was in the run. Apparently, the girl had gone mad after her father's death and plotted against Queen Regina. Now she was the head price of every bounty. But worse of all, Queen Regina had ordered the retreat of Snowland's armies of Armithil, breaking the deal Lord Leopold had done with Princess Belle.

Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire were in the bedroom of the local inn. They had travelled a week, making good speed. Another few days and they would arrive in Kriemont. The cripple sighed heavily. He was glad things were going fine with them, but was worried sick with Belle. He heard rumors telling the princess was riding to King George's castle with Lord Gaston. The image of the tall and strong knight returned to his mind with great bitterness. He still could feel the fire burn in his veins as he recollected the humiliating words he cowardly had to swallow up. Lord Gaston, the arrogant hero of Armithil. How Rumpelstiltskin hated and despised him. He was the typical upper class noble, a man from the king's court, the champion of the kingdom. Gaston was the man who had it all. He had all the reasons to act sickly superior. But the thing Rumpelstitlskin hated most about Lord Gaston was the fact he had her. He was Belle's betrothed. He was to be married with her one day. He got to kiss and feel her, love and care for her. Be with her at all times. And it hurt.

He scolded himself internally for ever allowing his feelings grow and develop for Belle. His heart darkened with the knowledge he was chanceless. How could a poor spinner, a cripple with nothing to offer, ever be with a princess? He had absolutely nothing to give her, so how could he ever make her happy? How could she ever see something in his pathetic being was something Rumpelstiltskin couldn't understand. He failed to comprehend the fact she corresponded to his shy advances. He had been sure it was love they felt during their short but wonderful moments, when they allowed their feelings surface. And then there was the rose. Each time he thought about the delicate flower, it made his heart race at an unhealthy speed. He thought it had been a bittersweet gesture. Letting him know she still felt for him, thought about him, when they never ever could be together. He sighed sadly.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" Baelfire asked his father. The man had lain on his bed, had stared at the ceiling for about ten minutes and had sighed heavily at least three times.

"Yes." He sorrowfully admitted. There was no sense in lying to his son. The boy was simply too clever to fool. Sometimes the cripple believed Baelfire knew him better than he knew himself. "I hope she's okay."

"Me too… I still can't understand why Queen Regina ordered the army back."

"Yeah, you would almost think she wanted the ogres to remain in Armithil." Rumpelstiltskin spoke his thoughts out loud. "But that would just be crazy. I mean, why would she do such a thing?"

What Rumpelstitlskin didn't know was that he was close to the truth. Very close. Far away from them, a female form stepped out a black fume in a castle that once had been a stunning building. The woman, dressed in a long black and red coat, with black leather pants, climbed a stony staircase. The steps were damaged, cracked and fractured on the places strong fists had hit. The floor was stained with dry blood and here and there laid a forgotten corpse. She grinned maliciously as she opened the broken high doors of the Throne Room. Sitting on the throne, in the middle of dead bodies, sat Maleficent in all her glory.

"Regina, what evil winds brings you here?" The Dragon Lady smoothly said.

"I see you are enjoying the state of destruction of Armithil's castle." The queen said, scanning the room. She could see some half eaten burned corpses. "And it's men's flesh too." She said with a hint of disgust. Maleficent merely smiled contented.

"I've heard your plan with Snow White didn't quite work out." The blond woman mockingly spoke, knowing she hit a nerve. They were the strange kind of friends that enjoyed picking on each other, dangerously challenging their temperaments. Regina sneered angrily.

"Oh, don't worry yourself, Maleficent. That one has her days counted. Mark my words. I let her live and run like and outlaw for now." The Evil Queen smiled wickedly and then her expression became suddenly bitter and full of disgust. "But soon, oh soon, I will have her where I want." She said with pure hate and conviction. The other woman chuckled. "But, dear friend, your plan with you little ogre invasion didn't quite go that smoothly either." Regina spoke with venomous pleasure. Maleficent gave her a smile, but the queen knew she was breathing fire right now.

"If you are talking about the incident with the princess…" Maleficent retorted annoyed. Regina laughed a bit.

"Incident? Oh no, my dear friend. Princess Belle… she is the persistent type. You do know she survived two weeks in poorly conditions, assisted by some miserable peasant that happened to take pity of her?"

"Regina, dear. If I didn't know I would say you admire the girl." Maleficent spoke in a mockery tone, but the queen knew she had hurt her friend's pride, much for her contentment. Regina smirked.

"I always appreciate a woman that dares to speak her mind out and put men on their place. Your little princess seems to have that ability. I wonder where she got it from… Perhaps from her great-grandmother?" Regina knew she was stepping in dangerous terrains. Lady Aurora was a taboo. Her name was never to be outspoken loud in the presence of Maleficent.

"I do not care from where she inherited her impertinent behavior! I will get her, just like I got her father. And once I have them in my power, I will enjoy eating their fresh flesh and drink their warm blood." Maleficent beastly said, her dragon fire breaking her cool facade. Regina smirked, but added no more. Maleficent was older and more experienced than her. She knew she had already pushed the limits. Go on and her friend might as well roast her alive. "Armithil will be mine, as it always should have been!" Lady Dragon spat, fire present in her breath.

"Oh don't worry, Maleficent. You will have this miserable kingdom." There was a silence and Maleficent observed her soulless friend with peculiar eyes.

"What about you, Regina? You already have Snowland. Why carry on with your sham?" Queen Regina let a cold laughter that made even Maleficent shiver.

"You honestly believe I will stop at Snowland? You really believe this one little kingdom will satisfy me?" She threateningly spoke, each word coming out as a poisonous spit. "No. I am for so much more. Snowland will be only the first kingdom. And then I'll take George's, Richard's and Mina's. I'll even conquer the fairy skies, the underground mines, the oceans and rivers. The world will be mine. And everybody will suffer under my dominion!" Queen Regina looked dangerously mad into her only friend's light eyes. "I will bring misery to the world. I will bring people's nightmares to reality. I'll destroy all happiness if it the last thing I do!"

I'm trully enjoying writting this tale. And it's developing smoothly, with no major writter's blocks (hurray!). What you think of this chapter?

Review, please ;)