Thank you so much for your continuous support. I really appreciate it: Queen of Light 17, Arekanderu, FortunesFavour, thedoctorsgirl42, Grace5231973, megumisakura, AshRedDragon.
I do not own Once Upon a Time
Chapter 59 – Days 60 to 65: Divided
Day had not broken yet when the four great kingdoms' soldiers woke up to prepare for battle. There was a short march to the perimeters of Avonlea's castle and by the time the sun rose, the army was already fully prepared and organized. The catapults were in place. The soldiers were in position, divided in strategic groups of riders, swordsmen and archers. Everywhere there were fires, ready to strike the enemy's army mercilessly. Avonlea's castle was surrounded. The Evil Queen could be in advantage in number and magic, but Armithil's new army and allies bore the fire of passion and bravery in their hearts.
Rumpelstiltskin, Bram and their children were distributing weapons, when a soldier stopped before the spinner. He was young, barely eighteen and looked pale.
"M'lord, do you think we have a chance to win?" He asked uncertain.
Rumpelstiltskin looked up and immediately saw the nervous glint in the boy's eyes. He then realized the rest of the soldiers around him had the same look in their faces. The look of fear. He suddenly felt revolted and disgusted by this war. He felt sorry for these young lads, whose lives were put at risk because of the ambition and personal vengeance of one woman. He wished all this was not necessary. He wished he could send these boys back home to safety. He wished he didn't have to answer the soldier's question. But he knew it was all but impossible. There were no choices, and in the end, all he could do was lighten up some of these boys' worries.
"Yes, I do believe we are going to win this war. And I am not just saying this just to reassure you. You see, they might outnumber us and even have magic on their side, but we have something that makes us stronger." He paused, realizing he had now a quite large number of expectant soldiers staring at him and almost gulped nervously. "For them, it's just another war. But for us, it is protecting what is ours. We are fighting for our home." There was a short pause and Rumpelstitlskin witnessed a change in the boy's eyes, as a new emotion filled them up.
"We are fighting for our home." The young soldier repeated hopefully. He smiled and a new fire filled his heart as he was reminded what he was fighting for. "We are fighting for our home!" He repeated more loudly and his words were repeated by others.
Rumpelstiltskin switched surprised looks with his son and friends as the new message travelled throughout the army of the four kingdoms. The words were repeated over and over again, first softly, then it grew louder and steadier. The sound became as powerful as thunder and the message was accompanied by the beating of drums and stamping of feet. Rumpelstitlskin's words became a cry of hope and strength. The many voices became one and reached the skies as well as the city walls of Avonlea. The commanders, the members of the Council, Snow and Belle looked around in amazement and awe, wondering where those inspiring words had originated. But most of all, they were marveled with the power and strength they wielded.
"We are fighting for our home!" Commander Byront screamed on top on his lungs and the voices in unison became more intense and impressive, filling the hearts of soldiers with passion and adrenaline, dissipating all fears and worries from earlier.
Meanwhile, inside the fortified walls, the soldiers of Snowland and Leostille listened to this new roaring. By each powerful shouting, by each stamping of thousand feet, the hearts of those inside of the castle raced of anxiety. The sound was frighteningly powerful. It was the sound of unity. The four kingdoms had become one and their soldiers were ready to strike with all their might. For the message was clear. They were fighting for their home.
That day, the soldiers of both armies fought bravely. That day, many lost their lives trying to break in the city walls, while others died trying to protect them. As did the following day and the following, and the following. Five long nightmarish days of incessant battle passed by and Avonlea's castle was still in the power of Queen Regina and King George. Despite the initial determinacy and courage from Armithil's new army, the enemy proved to be resilient and stronger than expected. An urgent meeting at the High Council was convoked as the tide seemed to turn against the four kingdom's army.
"We are losing ground!" Prince James stated. "Regina keeps blasting magic against us!"
"We are doing our best in countering her magic, but she is too powerful." The Blue Fairy said mournfully. The always beautiful magical creature looked now completely worn out, was covered under black ashes and her always emanating light was dimming.
"Regina's soldiers are leaving the castle grounds and are heading towards our side. The ogres are backing them up. If we don't find a strategy quickly, they will reach us and…well, if that happens, it will make matters much more difficult for us." Lord Frederick said.
"We need something strong. Stronger than Regina." Prince James said. There was a long silence, as everybody, despite their tiredness, desperately sought for a solution.
"There is a way…" The Blue Fairy suddenly said. "We do have a weapon that can wipe Regina's army in one single strike."
"What? If that's so, why didn't you tell us earlier?" Prince James demanded upset.
"Because it's dark magic." Blue said. "It will destroy everything in its path."
"Right now we are desperate." Commander Byront said. "Tell us what it is!"
"Maleficent's fire." Blue said and all eyes fell on Rumpelstiltskin. The spinner felt all the blood leave his face at that very moment. "Baelfire is the only person who can wield this magic."
"Are you suggesting to send my son to take the lives of thousands?" Rumpelstitlskin said disgusted.
"We have no choice." Commander Byront said.
"You cannot do this! This is…this is massacre we are talking about!"
"Regina's army is gaining terrain." Commander Frederick insisted. "If we don't defeat them, they'll defeat us."
"Are you forgetting there are as many young soldiers fighting from the other side as here! Young boys! No! I will not allow you make of my son a murderer!"
"Rumpel…" Prince James stated, but the spinner cut his words.
"No. Not like this. I cannot stand and let my son slaughter…" Rumpelstiltskin choked in his last words, feeling sick at the whole idea and left the marquee in a hurry.
He felt nauseous with only the thought of it. Using his son, a mere child, to burn thousands of young men alive. It would be a cruel massacre. They would not be any better than Queen Regina. It was a barbarian measure. And it was his son's burden to carry the rest of his life. Rumpelstiltskin hasted his pace as he could hear his name being called behind him. He could hear Belle's voice among them. He ignored them.
He hasted away without a purpose and could see the blur of many surprised faces as he passed by soldiers, looking as white as a sheet of paper. After a while, his legs were set in motion. The urgent voices became more and more distant. The soldiers became faceless, looking like ghosts. Rumpelstiltskin did what he was always did when he was upset. When he was scared. He ran away.
He ran and ran for miles. He ran without a destiny, deeper into the woods. He ran for what felt hours and only halted when his lungs were burning, when his mouth tasted like blood, when his legs felt like they weighted a ton. He stopped breathless and feeling the tears ready to spring from the burning in his chest. He left himself collapse exhausted and broke down into painful sobs. Rumpelstiltskin was divided. He knew their victory was now dependant of his son's actions. He knew many more familiar faces would die if they would not take action. And yet, every single cell in his body screamed this was wrong. To strike those lives mercilessly with wildfire. He could not allow such a massacre. But he also could not allow the continuation the daily increase of the number of deaths in both armies. He succumbed into his misery, remembering what once was told him, a long time ago. Death is the winner in any war. And with these haunting words, repeating over and over again in his head, Rumpelstiltskin surrendered to exhaustion and fell unconscious.
Rumpelstiltskin woke up feeling numb and cold. He slowly opened his eyes and realized night had fallen already some hours ago. He shakily got up, feeling his chest and legs still suffering the after effects from his desperate run. Quickly the memories of the afternoon's events returned and he envisioned things clearer. Suddenly he realized what he had done. What he always had done when troubled. Coward. He thought bitterly to himself. How could he ever sit next to Belle and rule a country if he wasn't even able to make the decision that would lead them to victory? He knew his decision would compromise Armithil and feared for its fall. And it would be his fault. He felt ashamed and felt he had failed the world. The Council, the soldiers, his friends, Belle and Baelfire. But his heart wouldn't allow him to put the Blue Fairy's suggestion into action.
He cursed internally realizing his son's daring move against Maleficent had become pointless and useless. He truly had failed everybody. Coward. He continued his self-torturing and paced aimlessly through the darkened woods. He wondered if they were looking for him. He wondered if they had already condemned him. He wondered if Belle would ever talk to him after this. And so many other things he wondered until he was distracted by the sound of thousands stamping feet. With a racing heart, he followed the sound until he saw, in the darkness of the night, thousands torches. The large army of ogres was advancing towards Armithil's camp. Regina's and George's soldiers followed suit, at a safe distance, afraid of the monster's unpredictability. He watched with horror as they marched without any resistance. Armithil's army must have known they were coming closer. So why weren't they fighting back?
The spinner continued moving through the night and stopped on top of a hillside, where he had a full view on the Evil Queen's army. He felt the hairs on his neck lift as he foresaw disaster.
"Death is the winner in any war." Rumpelstilstin gasped startled at the voice behind him and quickly turned around. The sighed of relieve when he saw it was Commander Byront. "Nothing noble in dying for your religion, for your country, for ideology, for faith." The spinner stared in pure surprise at the old soldier, the words being too familiar to him.
"For another man?" He asked the question he once had made many, many years ago.
"Yes." Commander Byront said with a saddened smile. Rumpelstiltskin suddenly realized why he always had the feeling he knew the Commander's face. They had met, many years ago, during the time of his long wandering through the world with Bram. "I remember talking with a lad, a very long ago. He was nineteen, I remember because it was my son's age when died in battle. This lad…he carried such a pain with him. The pain of a rejected son."
"While you carried the pain of dead son." The spinner completed, remembering too well the night they talked and shared their miseries in the tavern, while Bram laid unconscious on the table for drinking too much wine. It had been a conversation that had left its mark in Rumpelstitlskin for the rest of his life.
"I recognized you the moment I saw you." Commander Byront revealed. "But I knew you had no idea who I was."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't think you would be too happy to see the man who brought you in one night enough material to worry about for the rest of your life. You were quite upset, I remember. You were too young and naïf to hear the things I told you back then."
"Well, I've seen for myself you weren't making anything up." The spinner bitterly countered, thinking about the collection of misadventures during his lifetime. He paused thoughtful. "I'm sorry I ran away." He sincerely said and was surprised the old soldier smiled at him.
"I am the one who should apologize. We were asking you the unthinkable."
"But we have no choice, do we?"
"We are preparing an ambush. All we can do now is hope it all goes well." The commander patiently said.
Rumpelstiltskin looked at the army advancing in a threatening pace and sighed. He was divided. He didn't know what was wrong and right anymore. Who was he, anyway, to choose between a massacre in Regina's army or doom in Armithil's. Who was he to determine the fate of others? And so he held his breath when the trumpets of Armithil sounded and a cry of war filled the air.
"Death is the winner in any war."
"Death is the winner in any war
Nothing noble in dying for your religion
For your country
For ideology, for faith
For another man, yes" Song of Myself, Nightwish (Imaginarium)
I'm back in track. Next chapter will be quite exciting. And the end is nearer and nearer.
Please, do continue reviewing :)