Chapter 4
On The Road
He made his decision two months after Milah had left. He woke trembling, haunted by the dream of Bae falling through the portal without him. This time though, he dried his tears and made his vow while the moon was still in the night sky.
He vowed vengeance. He vowed determination and sleepless nights. He vowed complete dedication to his task. He vowed to pay any price. But most of all, he vowed to hold his son in his arms once more and never let go.
It was still dark when he left, taking only his walking stick and a small sack. The sack was plenty big enough for what little he had: a few scraps of food, a charcoal portrait of Bae done by Milah, and whatever trinket or two he thought he could sell later on. Elena would have gladly given him better provisions, but if he woke her at this hour, she would make him wait till dawn. Waiting meant death to Rumplestiltskin. He would never leave if he let this moment of clarity fade. So he limped out of his village as fast as he could, taking a trail through the forest he knew would wrap around and ultimately lead him further up the coast. There, he would find sailors to begin inquiring about the destination of the Jolly Roger without the scorn of the townsfolk delaying his progress. A crippled beggar earned more assistance than the village coward, so a beggar he would be.
He came within sight of the town by dawn. He hesitated, then pulled the hood of his cloak up over his head. It would be better if he wasn't recognized. He didn't expect to see anyone he knew, but he didn't want to take the risk that the coward spinner of the Frontlands was as eagerly gossiped about in Seatown as he was in his little village on the outskirts of Safe Harbor.
Seatown was twice the size of Safe Harbor, and four times as prosperous due to the access it provided to ships looking to sail further inland up the Lords River. The last bit of the trail Rumplestiltskin followed would merge with the River Road just before it entered the East Gate, but his ankle was throbbing after hours of walking, and exhaustion threatened to topple him before he reached the gate. Instead, Rumplestiltskin stepped off the trail and found a likely spot to rest on the far side of a sprawling bush with large, flat leaves. He curled up under his cloak, hugging the sack with his pitiful belongings to him, his walking stick laid out within easy reach. It wasn't a comfortable bed, but he had endured much worse on his way home from the front when his shattered ankle had barely begun to heal.
In his exhaustion, he slept without dreams. When he woke, the sun had shifted, and he lay there a moment remembering where he was and why he wasn't at home. He rolled onto his knees. His ankle wasn't hurting as much now, but the rest of him felt stiff from sleeping on the ground. He readjusted his cloak so the hood obscured his face again and was about to stand when he heard a cart coming along the road. He ducked down and tried to see through the shrubbery. From this angle, he'd be lucky to catch a glimpse of feet, wheels, and hooves as they passed.
The sound was coming from the direction of Rumplestiltskin's village, and as they drew nearer, he could hear two men talking. The price of sheep or the weather, no doubt. It wasn't until they were almost level with him that he could make out part of their conversation over the horse's hooves and the creak of the wooden cart.
"Did ye hear? The coward's disappeared."
"Spindleshanks? How can anyone tell? He's been hiding away in that hovel of his since Milah found the sense to leave him."
"Ye can tell because Elena checks up on him time to time, aye? I seen her just this morn. Knocks on the door, no response. Goes on in, and comes out not fifteen shakes later. Still carrying a loaf of sweetbread, mind. Then the lass goes and locks the house up proper."
"Why would she go and do a thing like that?"
"I'm telling ye, he wasn't there."
"Maybe old Hobblefoot's offed himself. It'd be about time."
Their laughter was the last thing Rumplestiltskin could hear of their conversation as they passed on towards Seatown.
So gossip had already started to spread. He really should have told Elena he was leaving. He hadn't realized he forgot to lock the door, but at the same time, he didn't know when he would return. If he ever came back at all.