So Much More

By Lina Muro

Summary: AU, Dark One!Belle, Rumbelle. "The curse of the Dark One is a strange one. It doesn't change you. Not as much as you'd want to believe. It takes your strongest traits, your desires, and warps them...draws them to the surface and forces back the rest of the things that made you human. It's nice to be brave. But when you stop feeling fear…after a while you don't feel anything else either."

Disclaimer: I don't own Once.

Chapter Two: Leave Only Footprints

The village on the Frontlands had known its share of darkness. It existed on the edge of a kingdom torn apart by the Ogre wars. By night, the villagers could look across the mountain range and see the ever-encroaching red of the horizon, glowing with flame. A heavy wind would bring the smoke of the battlefield to taint the air. They lived knowing that as dawn approached, another of their children would be swept away by the Duke's men to fight in a war they could not win. Yet even with the years of hard living and strife, they were not prepared for the shadow of the Dark One to move down their worn streets.

She moved quietly among them that day, her face hooded as it always was. The people shrank away from her, ducking into their homes, peeking through windows until she was passed. In her wake walked a crippled man and his son. The whispers followed them, questions and rumors rising. It was only the most desperate of souls that played the games the Dark One. And those that did were nothing more than cursed. It would be years before anyone would approach the house of the Spinner. Years in which children would treat the house as a challenge to approach. Years in which no one would see the Spinner or his son again.

As Rumplestiltskin limped away from the village he was raised in, he felt a startling lightness in his step. The last time he had left, it was to go to his death for honor in the Ogre Wars. He had returned only to be branded a coward, belittled and abused. Since then, he had spent his life spinning, bartering wool in the village for coins to live on. Now he felt the terrifying freedom of being a man whose hardships were suddenly lifted from him.

They carried little with them, by design of the Dark One. When they were out of sight of the village, she paused, turning to look at them. There was another of her empty smiles on her face. "Always fun spooking the common folk," she chuckled. "Wait here."

Baelfire watched her suspiciously as she walked into the forest, biting his lip until she disappeared behind the trees before he turned to his father, scowling.

"I don't like this, Papa," he said. "Why do we have to leave?"

"I told you, son," Rumplestiltskin replied, finding a knocked down tree to sit down on. "We need to go with her. She's going to make us safe."

"But at what cost, Papa? At what cost…." Bae shook his head. "There's a terrible darkness inside her, Papa."

"I just…" Rumplestiltskin paused, twisting his walking stick in his hands. "I don't know what to tell you, Bae."

Bae fell into a brooding silence. Rumple watched his son, struggling to find the words to explain the feelings he was having. How could he explain to his son about running from the war, and the woman saving his life? Bae was one of the few people that didn't look at Rumple like he was nothing, and the selfish part of Rumplestiltskin didn't want that to change.

Now, sitting back and looking at the situation, Rumplestiltskin knew he was acting rashly, but there was no going back. He knew that. With information that Milah was alive, and had bargained for his life, he felt a confusing stirring of hope.

In the distance, he could see the Dark One's blood red cloak shuffling through the edge of the forest. She walked delicately in the undergrowth, her cloak thrown back and the sunlight shining off her dark hair. Behind her came a small carriage, drawn by three beautiful horses. Two were strong, lean palominos, but the third, tied in the lead position, was a tall, muscular draught horse. As she led them, it leaned forward, nudging into her shoulder. She stumbled, and where Rumple expected anger, she turned a smile on her face. It was the closest thing to expression that the spinner had seen from her, and she reached forward, running her hand across the beast's snout.

"I can't explain it, Bae," Rumplestiltskin said, shaking his head slowly as he watched her. "I just have a good feeling about this."

Baelfire sighed, but didn't comment further.

By the time she led the carriage over, the face of the Dark One was smooth and detached. If he hadn't specifically seen it, Rumple may have though he'd imagined the fleeting glimmer of emotion there.

The stagecoach she brought them was deep black with shining gold on its wheels. There was no driver. The Dark One opened the door, and gestured for them. The items they had packed and could not carry, the Dark One had teleported to the coach. They were tied down on the top of the buggy. There weren't many. A few pairs of clothing, a spare walking stick, some odds and ends that the spinner couldn't bear to leave behind.

No words needed to be said as the Dark One gestured with one pale hand to the cabin, the door opening of its own accord. To his credit, Baelfire didn't hesitate to climb in. Whatever his misgivings, he was trying to trust his father's judgment. Rumplestiltskin hobbled to the coach, and paused at the door, offering his hand to the Dark One to help her up.

Her eyes narrowed, a flash of anger in them, and she stared down the Spinner until he lost his nerve and struggled into the carriage. He huddled in the corner, urging his heart to stop pounding. Baelfired raised a brow, but didn't comment at the sweat breaking across his father's forehead. The Dark One followed them into the carriage settling in the empty seat across from them. Once she was seated, the coach began to move.

"We are traveling this way because I have several people to visit," the Dark One began. Her face was stern "And since I'd rather you not starve in my castle, you'll have to travel with me. You will be provided for, but there are rules you will abide by. You will not interfere with my deal making. You will not leave the coach without permission. You will not speak to the villagers unless prompted. You will not disclose why you are in my possession." Baelfire tensed at the word, but she ignored him. "Any questions?"

The two shook their heads, and the cabin lapsed into silence. The horses trotted on, but the carriage barely rocked. Rumplestiltskin watched the woods streak by until he heard rustling. With a flash of purple smoke, the Dark One conjured a table. It was covered with scraps of paper, books, pens, and instruments that Rumple didn't recognize. He tried to watch her from the corner of his eye as she began to trace several lines on a piece of paper, consulting the pages of a nearby book. Each time she would look up and catch his glance, she would narrow her reptilian eyes. He hastily looked away.

The hours wore on, and Rumple gave up watching her. The map she was drawing was complicated, with many lines, and he didn't have a hope of understanding it. Instead, he watched the woods roll by, the trees slowly shifting to fields, or rocks. Baelfire, worn from a night of anxiety had been lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the carriage. He lay across Rumple's lap, and the spinner absently played with his hair.

"I never did thank you."

The Dark One's head darted up from her studies. She knew the spinner had spoken, yet his attention was still focused out the window. He confused her, this simple, cowardly little man, with his polite gestures and overall lack of fear of her.

"For what?" she ventured.

He turned to her, his brown eyes pensive as he met her gaze. "For saving my life."

TBC...

Sorry the updates are a bit off. Life and writer's block are mean things. The next chapter is being a bit difficult, but I think I'm working it out. Thanks to the followers and reviewers. Kinda nice to be working on this stuff again.

Hopefully see you next week.