A/N: Merlin tells Rumple about his family bloodline.
Chapter Eleven
Belle saw the look in his eyes while Rumple walked closer and Merlin watched him walk around him until he stop in front of him and fold his arms over his chest. Rage roared through him as a small voice echoed for him to destroy Merlin and a part of him wanted to listen to the small voice.
"So everything that has happened to me has been your fault," Rumple said when he waved his hand and Merlin floated up into the air. Belle gasped as Merlin flew through the air, out the door and crashed into the wall. Maurice tried hard not to smile as he looked at Rumple and Rumple growled. Merlin slumped onto the floor as Rumple stormed out of the cell and looked down at him. Waving his hand, Rumple lifted Merlin into the air as Merlin looked at him and Rumple was surprised to see he was smiling. "What is so funny, Dearie?"
"I find it amusing that you didn't kill me out right," Merlin said then laughed and Rumple growled.
"I still might," he growled and some spit flicked onto his lower lip. Rumple never knew he could hate anyone so much. He did hate his father, but Merlin's smugness made his rage bubble harder in his chest.
"No, you won't."
"And what will stop me from ripping your heart out?" Rumple asked while baring his teeth when Merlin flicked his wrist and Rumple's heart clutched in his chest. In Merlin's right hand was the silver blade dagger. "Where…where did you get that?"
"I found it in your vault."
"What is that?" Belle asked as she appeared beside Rumple and looked at the silver blade dagger.
"This is the Dagger of the Dark One," Merlin said then looked at Rumple. "Anyone who controls the dagger can control him."
"Leave him alone," Chip shouted and Merlin smiled then held up the silver blade dagger.
"Dark One, I order you to put me down," Merlin said as something inside of Rumple's mind growled and Rumple lowered his hand, dropping Merlin to the floor. Getting up, Merlin walked to Belle and held out the silver blade dagger. "Here, I believe it would be better if you had this."
Taking the silver blade dagger, Belle balled her right hand into a fist when she punched Merlin in the balls and he gasped, falling to his knees. He made a low moan as he tried to catch his breath then slowly got to his feet and glared at her.
"You are no lady," he hissed as she slapped him and Rumple smiled. Belle punched Merlin in the stomach as Merlin doubled over and was about to hit him again, but Rumple gently took her wrist in his hand.
"That will be enough, Dearie," he said as Belle lowered her arm and Rumple slid his arm around her waist. They watched Merlin slowly stand straighter as he looked at Rumple and Rumple gave him a blank look. "Now, you implied that I am of your bloodline. How is that possible?"
"Come with me," Merlin said as a black smoke appeared around them and Maurice gasped when the black smoke faded.
Merlin, Belle and Rumple were gone.
The Hawthrone Tree
The black smoke faded while Belle held onto Rumple and Merlin smiled, seeing how much they cared for each other. The chamber were they stood was made of wood and strings of glowing moss lit the chamber. Merlin walked into the shadows as Belle looked at the strings of glowing moss and Rumple tried to find a way to escape.
"There is no need to be afraid," Merlin said as he walked out of the shadows with a tall woman with flowing hair of black curls and deep blue eyes. She was wearing a white linen gown and her face and body were flawless. They stopped in front of Rumple and Belle as the woman smiled and her arms were wrapped around Merlin's right arm. "I would like to introduce you to my wife. This is Nimue."
"I have heard stories about Nimue. She was one of the Ladies of the Lake," Belle said and Nimue smiled.
"I assure you that legend is false," Nimue said and Rumple frowned.
"I heard you were the one who would cause Merlin's death. After his death, you became King Arthur's counselor and marry Sir Pelleas," he said and she lowered her head.
"I have heard those stories as well. The truth is my father was Diones. He was a vavasor, a landholder, but less than a baron. I met Merlin when I was sixteen and we fell in love. I went traveling with him and took part in his adventures. It was during one adventure that we were confronted by a dragon," she said and Rumple saw great sadness in her eyes.
"What happened?" Belle asked and Merlin sighed.
"The dragon attacked. I thought I had stopped the dragon fire, but some of it hit Nimue and her face was burned," Merlin said as he sighed and Nimue hugged him.
"I ran away to a convent and told Merlin to leave and forget about me," Nimue said and sadly smiled at him.
"I couldn't stay away or forget her and tried to figure a way to restore her beauty. It was when I made a deal with a dark fey that we were reunited. But, like with all magic, our reunion came with a price," Merlin said and Belle saw anger in his eyes.
"What sort of price?" Rumple asked.
"As long as I stay inside this tree, I will not age and my beauty will remain intact," Nimue said and tears rolled down Belle's cheeks. "There is no need for tears. I am happy here."
"We were wed by a priest I had met and we've had a wonderful life," Merlin said with a smile then frowned. "Or it was supposed to be wonderful."
"Why isn't it?" Belle asked.
"The reason Nimue was injured, the reason my life has been a living hell, has to do with Mab. She is the Queen of the Dark Fey and she takes great pleasure in taking away what is mine."
"What did you do to get her that angry?" Rumple asked, sarcastically. He had enough of Merlin's attempts to delay what was really going on and he folded his arms across his chest.
"I turned my back on the darkness and dark magic and embraced the light. That does not go unnoticed and she is my punishment as well as tormentor."
"She has destroyed each and every one of our children," Nimue said then looked at Rumple. "Well, almost all of them."
"No, this isn't possible," Rumple said as he let go of Belle and started pacing. "I can't be your blood. I'm the son of a coward and a thief."
"Yes," Merlin said as he stood in front of Rumple and Rumple stopped, looking at him. "Your father was a coward and a thief, but your mother…"
"I don't remember her," Rumple growled as his heart slammed in his chest and Merlin nodded his head, placing his hand on Rumple's shoulder.
"You were only a baby when she died."
"How do you know that?"
"I will get to that momentarily," he said and Rumple growled. "I remember when she asked to venture out into the real world. She was the last of our children. I didn't want to lose her. So, reluctantly, I agreed. I remember when she sent word she had met a man and were to be married. We were happy until I met your father. Had I known what he was, I would have never allowed the marriage. She would not listen when I told her about what I learned about him and insisted he was a good man. I was deeply sorrowed to be proven right, but we were overjoyed when she told us she was pregnant. Did you ever wonder why she called you "Rumplestiltskin"?"
"Yes, I have," Rumple said then lowered his head.
"It's because I told her to. I had a vision about you, Dear Boy. I knew you had to be named that name and she agreed."
"How did his mother die?" Belle asked.
"She, like all my children, was caught in the war between me and Mab. Mab had sent her minions to destroy the village I had been treating for a plague and Merida, that was her name, insisted on helping me. She knew magic, but I had reminded her she was the last of my children and you needed her. She was as stubborn as I was and assured me your father would take care of you if something happened to her," Merlin said then sighed. "I confronted Mab while Merida battled with the minions, but they were too strong. Like with her mother, I was not able to protect her."
"Merlin," Nimue whispered and he shook his head.
"You didn't know," Belle said and he smiled at her.
"It appears we have found amazing women," Merlin said as he saw the look in Belle's eyes. "They can see the man behind the monster."
"Neither of you are monsters," Nimue said as she glared Merlin and Rumple softly giggled.
"It is true in my case, Dearie," Rumple said.
"No, it's not," Belle chastised and glared at him.
"What did you tell my father?" Rumple asked, looking at Merlin.
"I told him the truth. What I found irritating was his reaction. He wasn't devastated with his wife being killed. He didn't want revenge. He didn't attack me. He was actually happy. He had the courage to tell me that he was free. I reminded him you needed him, but he just laughed and told me to take you," Merlin said and Rumple felt his heart lurch in his chest. He had heard tales about his father and how he would complain about being stuck with a child he didn't want. Tears threatened to fall, but something inside him stopped the tears and he gave Merlin a cold look.
"I have heard stories," Rumple said and Merlin saw the hatred in his eyes.
"I refused to take you and warned him that I would be watching. If any harm came to you, he would answer to me."
"Did you know he beat me? That he would belittle me and told me no one could love a nothing like me? That he wouldn't feed me or let me sleep indoors? That in one finally attempt to get rid of me he left me with two spinster spinners when I was six?" Rumple demanded and Merlin sighed.
"Yes, I knew. I found him in a pub and he had the nerve to look frightened," Merlin said and Rumple saw a red light flash move across his eyes.
"What did you do?" Belle asked. They watched Merlin move into the shadows when Nimue walked to Rumple and slid his hand into her hand. Wrapping their fingers together, he smiled and she squeezed his fingers. Merlin returned with an iron cage in his hand when he placed the iron ring on top of the iron cage on the hook of the iron stand and Rumple saw a green scaled lizard with nearly human eyes sitting in the iron cage. He let go of Nimue's hand as he walked closer and looked at the lizard. He looked deeply into the lizard's eyes as his heart sped up and he balled his hands into fists.
"Hello, Papa," he whispered then looked at Merlin and Merlin smiled.
"Now," Merlin said as he walked to a dark wood high back chair then sat down and pointed for Rumple and Belle to sit in the other chairs. Nimue sat on Merlin's lap after they sat down and Merlin placed his feet on the footstool. "Mab was not happy that I shielded you from her. It was only shear chance that she did run across you during the war with the Ogres."
"How did she find out?" Rumple asked.
"It was the Seer. The child worked for her," Merlin said and Rumple sighed.
"How did she send Rumple into the future?" Belle asked.
"She opened a portal. What she didn't know was I had found out. I…"
"How did you find out?" Rumple asked.
"Again, it was the Seer. She didn't care who she worked for as long as she was kept alive."
"Let me guess," Rumple said as he flicked his right hand up. "You made the portal drop me on top of that hill and I ended up lame."
"Yes, I made the portal bring you to Lord Maurice, but I didn't expect it to literally drop you at his feet. It was supposed to send you to the castle."
"Which means Mab might have been trying to kill him to prevent you from sending him where he was supposed to go," Belle said and Merlin smiled.
"That is exactly what happened," Merlin said with a nod of his head. "You are bright."
"If you knew what was coming, why didn't you save her brother?" Rumple growled as Marcus' face moved through his mind.
"His death was inevitable. There was…."
"He was my friend," Rumple said through clenched teeth.
"I know."
"Was my mother's death also inevitable?" Belle asked and Merlin saw the hate in her eyes.
"Yes, I am afraid so."
"If you were my family's healer, why didn't you heal his leg correctly?" she asked as Rumple rubbed his right leg.
"Ah, that wasn't me," Merlin said. "I was…busy."
"You were fighting Mab?" Belle asked.
"Yes," Merlin said. "By the time I had returned, the damage was done and I was too exhausted to try to mend it."
"If I knew who you really were, I wouldn't have trusted you enough to try," Rumple grumbled.
"Once you were settled, I made sure you were happy. What I didn't take into account was Mab had other plans."
"You are talking about the ball," Belle said and Merlin nodded.
"I was trying to determine if your father's decision to marry you off to that…person was his decision or was he being persuaded by outside forces."
"My father told me that he needed Gaston's father's aide in case the ogres attacked again."
"There was no threat of ogre attack. In fact, at the time, they were hibernating," Merlin said and Rumple growled.
"So he was set up," he grumbled and Belle placed her hand on top of his.
"Yes," Merlin said with a nod of his head.
"If you knew this, why didn't you stop my father?" Belle asked and Rumple saw the anger in her eyes.
"Again, I was busy," Merlin said as Rumple stood up and breathed hard and fast through his nose.
"Enough," he said as he waved his hand and Nimue gently floated into the air and landed on the chair he was sitting on.
"No," Nimue shouted as Merlin floated into the air after Rumple waved his hand and Merlin felt his throat tightening. Rumple glared at him as Merlin kicked his feet back and forth and Belle got up, walking to Rumple.
"He isn't worth it," Belle said softly as Rumple heard a small voice whispering in his head telling him to kill Merlin and he scrunched up his nose. Flexing his fingers, he watched Merlin drop to the floor as Nimue got up and ran to her husband. Kneeling down, she held Merlin as Belle held onto Rumple and placed her hand against his chest. His heart thumped hard and fast against her palm as he placed his hand on top of hers and slid his arm around her.
"Seven hells," Merlin said as Nimue helped him to his feet and he rubbed his throat. He slowly walked to Rumple and Belle when he saw the cold look in Rumple's eyes and sighed. "Tell me. Did you really want to leave that night?"
"I… That is none of your business," Rumple growled, giving him a blank look.
"Did you really wish to leave?" Merlin growled.
"No," Rumple said with a shake of his head.
"What happened when you went upstairs after Belle was assaulted?"
"Don't you know?" Rumple growled, baring his teeth.
"Tell me," Merlin demanded.
"I went to my room."
"Did anyone come to see you or tell you Belle was alright?"
"No," Rumple said then sighed.
"Did anything strange happen?"
"I was mumbling to myself about how it was my fault she got hurt," Rumple said and Belle placed her cheek against his shoulder.
"It wasn't," Belle whispered.
"While I was pacing, I decided to leave," Rumple said then frowned, blinking his eyes a few times.
"But you didn't want to," Merlin said, tilting his head to one side. "It was Mab. She made you leave."
"Did she also lead me to Zoso?"
"Who is Zoso?" Nimue asked.
"He was the Dark One before he was," Merlin said then sighed. "Tell me how you met him?"
Rumple told them about telling the cart driver to leave him off at the side of the path, walking through the forest then coming to the clearing. He told about his meeting with Zoso and how Zoso fed him and asked him to tell his story. Finally, he told about the price Zoso wanted for his hospitality and their battle. Tears rolled down Belle and Nimue's cheeks as Rumple looked at Merlin and the ground started shaking. The strings of glowing moss swayed violently back and forth when Merlin tossed his head back and roared. Rumple held onto Belle while Merlin started pacing and was speaking in a language Rumple barely recognized.
"Merlin, what's wrong?" Nimue asked as she walked closer and took his hands. He looked lovingly into her eyes as he sighed and lowered his head.
"She has gone too far," he growled.
"What are you talking about, Dearie?" Rumple asked.
"Did Zoso seem surprised to see you?" Merlin asked and Rumple frowned.
"Now that I think about it, no, he wasn't."
"That is because he thought you were someone else," Merlin said and Rumple gave him a confused look. "You see, it was a trap."
"If that's true, who was supposed to become the Dark One?"
"I was," Merlin growled and the strings of glowing moss burst into flames.