Part Two: Rise and Fall

Chapter 18: A Fine Addition

Thirteen Years Later

"Baelfire! Come back here this instant!"

Baelfire laughed as he ran out the door with two pastries clutched in his hand. He jumped over the gate to the sheep's pen, alarming the animals as he rushed by. He skidded to a halt in front of his father, who sat on a small box, stirring freshly sheared wool in a boiling pot. Hiding his nose in the crook of his arm, Bae held one hand out to Rumplestiltskin. "Mama said you should have one," he said with a snigger.

Rumplestiltskin arched an eyebrow at his son before taking the proffered treat. Popping it into his mouth, he sighed in satisfaction. Belle had become an excellent cook over the years. The sheep they bought had helped tremendously, allowing for the small family to regularly purchase meat and other items that long ago they'd had to do without. They were not rich by any means, but they were able to live modestly. Rumple's wool was legendary, and though most were reluctant to buy from the village coward, the war had people growing desperate. Baelfire was eager to learn his father's trade, and he would often travel to the neighboring villages where his father's legacy was his wool and not his leg, and sell once a month. A few years ago, the family had been able to afford a male sheep with whom they bred their females, and producing several lambs. The kept some to shear, and sold the others for profit. It wasn't much, but it was good.

"Baelfire!"

Bae's eyes widened, and he popped the other pastry into his mouth, smirking mischievously at his father through puffed cheeks. He turned to face his mother, who chased after him, wooden spoon in hand. "Yesh, muffer?" He asked, mouth full. Belle, unable to help herself, rolled her eyes and laughed.

"You are a horrid thing," she teased, swatting at him with the spoon playfully. "I told you not to eat any of those until after supper."

Bae grinned and swallowed his mouthful before turning back to wiggle his eyebrows at his father and running off. Belle swatted at him again as he took off. She giggled, then looked down at her husband, who was watching her lovingly. "What?"

"Nothing," Rumple said as he gripped his walking stick and stood, taking a few slow steps over to her. She met him halfway and wound her arms around his waist. "I just love you. That's all."

Belle smiled and leaned up to brush her lips against his. "And I love you."

"Must you do that outside? Or at all?"

Belle turned to face her son, smiling softly as Rumplestiltskin moved forward and wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. "Would you rather we fight all the time?" Rumplestiltskin asked pointedly. Baelfire rolled his eyes.

"No. Just...don't do that stuff out here. Someone could see."

Rumplestiltskin laughed at his son's embarrassment and let go of Belle. Gripping his staff, he nodded toward the wool he was currently boiling. "Come watch this for a bit, lad," he said. "I'm going to go clean up."

Baelfire nodded and walked past them toward the pot. He let out a yelp when Belle whacked him on the backside with her spoon, staring at her in disbelief. "That will teach you," she said with a grin.

Rubbing the spot where she hit him, Bae moved to stir the wool. "Sorry, Mama. But your desserts are just too good not to eat." He glanced at her pleadingly, and Belle giggled.

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me, son," Belle replied as she turned to walk inside with her husband, "But thank you just the same."

Belle and Rumple entered the house, and Rumplestiltskin turned to face his wife and cupped her face in his hands. He leaned down to kiss her but was surprised when she spun away from him, laughing as she moved over to the fire where a pot of stew was bubbling.

"What was that for?" He asked, feigning hurt.

"You don't get a kiss," she said, "You ate one of the sweets, and I told Bae not to give you one until after supper."

He stuttered, aghast. "I didn't know you told him 'no'!"

Belle shrugged. "Too bad." She glanced back, and stuck her tongue out at him in jest. Rumple had half a mind to steal another out of spite, but resisted. As good as they were, he feared if he made her angry she'd refuse to make them again. That was a punishment worse than one denied kiss.

"Mmm," Belle said as she lifted the ladle up and took a small taste. "Supper is ready. Go wash up." He turned to obey her, but stopped when he felt her hand on his arm. She stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Maybe if you're good, I'll send Bae out to fetch some firewood after supper."

Rumplestiltskin glanced at the doorway, where there sat a small pile of wood. "We already have some."

"Oh," Belle quipped. "Well, I don't have to send Bae out, if you don't want us to be alone...with no son to interrupt us..."

The front door swung open and Rumplestiltskin leaned out, "Bae," he shouted. "We need you to go get firewood after supper tonight."

"All right, Papa!" They heard the boy shout back. Rumplestiltskin shut the door and gave his wife a smug grin.

Belle laughed and shooed her husband away.

~000~

Belle was trying to dress quickly, searching frantically for her dress. Rumplestiltskin relaxed on their bed with great amusement as he watched his wife run about. "The boy won't be back for some time," Rumple said lazily. "You may as well stop fretting."

Belle stopped long enough to throw his shirt at his face. "You don't know that," she stated as she found the article of clothing she was looking for and quickly tugged it on. She grabbed her apron and tied it around her in a tight bow, sighing in relief now that she was decent. Rumplestiltskin chuckled and stood, pulling on his clothing. He grabbed his walking stick and hobbled to where Belle stood and wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"There. Perfectly decent and with plenty of time to spare."

Bae had left after supper to fetch firewood as he'd been asked. The door had barely shut before Belle and Rumplestiltskin rushed to their bed, shedding clothing as they went. Intimacy was not frequent anymore, and their small home did not offer much privacy except for a curtain that Bae had hung up to separate his small space from his parent's. There was not much opportunity to enjoy one another unless they sent Baelfire out on some errand, such as collecting firewood or visiting his grandfather. But even after all these years, they still burned for one another. Rumplestiltskin could hardly believe Belle still wanted him after all these years, but she was always eager for a moment alone with him. They were passionate about each other, their love unwavering in the face of all that had happened to them.

Yet, despite their love and their intimacy, there had been no more children between them. It was a mystery that Belle had been unable to conceive another child, and even Agda couldn't explain. They discussed it at length and though the thought of another child had been pleasant, they'd decided not to dwell on things that could not be and instead devoted all their love and attention on their son and on each other.

"Yes well, I wanted to be sure he didn't walk in on us," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up to press a deep kiss against his lips.

"Is that all you two ever do?"

They looked to the door to see Baelfire standing there, his arms full of firewood and wrinkled in disgust. Rumplestiltskin laughed and stepped away from Belle, who went to help Baelfire deposit the logs into the pile.

"Sometimes we do other things," Rumplestiltskin said off-handedly, prompting Belle to glare at him.

"Don't make me hit you," she threatened.

Bae laughed, his parents a source of amusement for him. He took the last few bits of firewood over to the hearth and tossed them in. The fire crackled and grew as its warmth filled the room and made it nice and cozy. Belle picked up a book from the ever-growing pile near the bed and sat on the floor next to Bae while Rumple made himself comfortable on a stool across from them, his lame leg stretched out comfortably. Belle began to read aloud, stopping after a while to let Bae take over. They read long into the night, focused only on each other and the rest of the world slipped away.

~000~

The next day, Bae rose early eager to begin his chores. He intended to see his friends today. Many of the families in Gering had moved on from the scandal Rumplestiltskin had caused over a decade before; though they had not forgotten. Some villagers were reluctant to allow their children to play with Baelfire; others cared little, so long as the boy did not cause any great mischief. He did not have many friends as a result, but he hardly minded. The few friends he did have were more than enough.

No one spoke of what his father had done, and it was for the best. Baelfire knew his Papa had been injured while away at war, but he knew nothing else. He'd asked, curious thing that he was, but Belle had always been quick to offer a vague reason and then send the boy out on an errand. Bae suspected there was more to the tale than his parents let on, but he chose not to pursue it.

He finished tending to the sheep, then went back inside to finish a few chores inside. He walked on his toes, trying to remain quiet so as not to disturb his parents who were still asleep. He tripped over his father's stool, letting out a soft curse as he looked over. His papa grumbled and sat up, staring at his quizzically.

"What are you doing, son?"

Bae brought his finger up to his lips to shush his father. "I'm getting my chores done so I can go see Morainne," he said. Rumplestiltskin thought he caught a slight blush on the boy's cheeks.

"Ah," he said knowingly. He reached for his stick and slid out of bed, careful not to wake Belle. He hobbled over to Bae and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You like her, don't you?"

Bae flushed deeper and stepped back from his father. "No," he said defensively, "She's just a friend. My best friend."

Rumplestiltskin smirked at his son and nodded indulgently, causing Bae to fluster, "I don't like her, Papa really. But today is her birthday, and I wanted to surprise her this morning."

Rumple smiled at his son. He'd been friends with the young Morainne for several years. He always had stories to tell about their adventures together, and Rumplestiltskin was sure that the pretty, brown-haired girl would one day become family. She was intelligent like Belle, and braver than most of the boys. She was tough too. Bae would often come home bruised from play fights that had gotten too involved and often left him flat on his back with Morainne standing above him, stick-sword to his chest and grinning proudly.

"Tell you what, my boy," Rumple said, "Why don't you go on and see Morainne? I'm sure your chores can wait until later." He gave Bae a stern look. "But just this once."

Bae grinned and hugged his father, excited to be excused for the day. He grabbed his cloak and rushed to the door, stopping only when his mother's voice called out, "Pick her some flowers," she suggested.

Bae turned to look at his mother, who had risen and wrapped her shawl around her. Her hair was braided, though several strands had fallen loose during the night, making her look disheveled. Bae thought she looked lovely. "Mama, Morainne doesn't like flowers," he said, "She's not like other girls."

Belle gave him a dry look. "Just because she can whip you does not mean she doesn't want to be romanced," Belle chided. "She is very much a girl, and on today, of all days, you should treat her as more than your sparring partner. Trust me," she said with a wink, "Flowers will go a long way."

Bae blushed again and looked down at his feet. He glanced up at his mother and asked softly, "Did-did flowers work for you?"

Belle's smile grew, and Bae had his answer. "Maybe I'll pick one or two," he mumbled. He turned to leave before his mother's voice called out to him again.

"Be careful, Bae," she said. "I don't want you going too far off; stay within the village and don't go anywhere alone."

Bae nodded, and he was gone.

Belle turned to her husband, reaching out affectionately toward him. They met in the middle of the room and embraced gently. Belle laid her head on Rumplestiltskin chest, hugging him tightly, so he could rest some of his weight on her. "He's growing up," she whispered softly and Rumplestiltskin hummed in acknowledgement.

"I can't believe he's going to be fourteen in less than a week," she murmured as Rumplestiltskin kissed her head.

"Neither can I," he said. "Time certainly does fly."

She nodded, resting against him.

"I'm worried," she whispered. "He's getting older, and if this war doesn't stop soon he's going to end up getting drafted."

Rumplestiltskin shook his head. "He's not going to get drafted," he assured her. "The age limit is sixteen. Surely the war will end before he reaches that age."

"It's been going on since before he was born. What makes you think it'll be over so soon?"

Rumplestiltskin saw the fear in his wife's eyes. It was not often that she allowed herself to show fear. She'd always been brave for them both, but the war against the Ogres had been going on for far too long. Bae would most likely reach the age limit before the war ended, but Rumplestiltskin preferred not to dwell on the possibility of his son being taken.

The age limit had been dropping for some time now. Before it had been twenty-one. Then nineteen, then eighteen, and now sixteen. The army was becoming desperate for men, and once those had run out, they started going after teenagers of both sexes. Reports of deaths arrived every day from messengers who volunteered their time riding back and forth to bring news to the villages who waited for loved ones to return. Most times, they did not. Only a few had returned over the years, each one more battered and bruised and broken than the one before him.

Rumplestiltskin tried to put these thoughts aside and instead began to kiss Belle, knowing that if anything could distract him from dark thoughts of ogres and war, it would be her love. She seemed in need as well, the fear that their son could one day be ripped from them enough to make her cling to him desperately. She practically dragged him back to the bed, in desperate need of a distraction, which Rumple was more than happy to provide.

~000~

There was a commotion outside, startling Belle and Rumplestiltskin, who sat sipping tea inside their home. They'd stopped their chores to take a break for lunch, and they looked at each other with worry. Scrambling to their feet, they both rushed outside to see Bae running toward them, a mix of anger and despair in his eyes.

"They're taking Morainne!" He shouted as he reached his parents. Belle gasped and reached out to hug Bae. He wrapped his arms around her waist tightly.

"B-but they can't!" Rumplestiltskin stammered. "She's only just turned fourteen!"

Bae shook his head and looked at his father. "They lowered the age limit," he said. "It's fourteen now."

Belle and Rumple glanced at each other, both staring with horror and dread. Not too far away, a man dressed in fine cloths could be seen dragging Morainne by the hair toward another man on a horse. Belle clutched Bae by the shoulders to keep him from running forward, and he reached down and gripped his father's hand. Rumple held tightly, the three of them watching in horror as the girl struggled to get away from her captor. Her parents were just peasants who lived close by, and they wept and begged for mercy for their child. Her mother cried out, "She's only just turned fourteen!"

The man on the horse, Hodor, laughed at the sight before him. "She looks like a strong girl," he said lightly. "She'll make a fine addition to the king's army."

"You can't take her!" The mother cried, enraged at the thought of her child being sent off to die. She let out a cry of anguish and rushed forward, determined to stop them from taking her daughter. She only managed a few steps before she gripped her throat and fell to the ground. Her husband followed suit as they gasped and struggled to breathe. Hodor laughed and glanced over to the field behind them, where a figure cloaked in all black sat atop a horse with his hand outstretched. "The Dark One seems to think I can," Hodor sneered.

He motioned for the girl to be placed on his saddle, and she was hefted up, still struggling and screaming all the while. Once she was in the tight grip of Hodor's arms, who seemed to enjoy her struggling, he motioned for the hooded figure to cease his grip on her parents. Their lungs filled with air as they gasped for breath, and Belle moved away to see to them. They were a kind couple, and though they were not close, their children were, and Belle tried not to look at her son while she helped upright the gasping woman.

Hodor and his men began to depart as once more Morainne struggled. She glanced back and met Baelfire's eyes. "Bae," she cried. Baelfire rushed forward, calling her name. Morainne's father, who had managed to get back to his feet, reached out and grabbed the boy's arm, stopping him from going after her.

"We can do nothing," he said brokenly, tears streaming down his face. "She's gone."

Bae watched the road the men were traveling down. He could still make out Morainne's shouts and he wrenched his eyes shut, wanting nothing more than to drown out the sound. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked back to see Rumplestiltskin standing there, tears stinging his own eyes. Bae let out a sob and grabbed for his father, who held him tightly as his son wept over the loss of his best friend.

Author's Notes:

I'm back, baby! Did you miss me?

While I was on hiatus, I managed to get to chapter 37! So that made me happy! I can't wait for you all to see what I have planned.

The town names are taken from a website that listed German town names. These names have no connection to anything, I just liked the names.

Thanks to my husband and Sirensong24 for editing for me. You guys make this thing readable!

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. All characters, dialog, etc. belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from this story. I do own Agda.