A/N: Mab learns it is not a good thing to get a very desperate and very angry Merlin mad. Don't hate me for what I did to Rumple. BTW, the outfit Rumple is wearing is the outfit from the finale.
Chapter Fourteen
Nimue sat on the couch when the purple smoke appeared then faded and she saw the angry look in Rumple's eyes.
"Where is he?" Rumple demanded as she got up and walked to him.
"Merlin isn't here," she said, but the hate and anger in his eyes made her reach out and touch his arm. "What has happened?"
"Mab has attacked Belle's father's land and people," he said and she sighed.
"Does Merlin know?"
"Of course he knows," he said, glaring at her.
"Then you must let him handle this."
"She also has Belle."
"He will save her."
"Like he saved my mother?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.
"That is unfair."
"Is it, Dearie?" he asked with a shocked look on his face. "Everything he's done is unfair!"
"Please calm down. Merlin…," she said as the purple smoke floated around him and he glared at her.
"Tell Merlin I will return to destroy him and you after I have dealt with Mab," he growled then vanished in a puff of purple smoke.
The Enchanted Forest
Regina stood guard by the fire circle when the purple smoke appeared and she looked at Rumple. She quickly ran to him as he glared at her and she saw the anger and hate in his eyes.
"What has happened?" she asked.
"Mab has taken Belle," he said through clenched teeth.
"Do you know where she is?"
"Yes," he said as he gently held onto her upper arms and looked deeply into her eyes. "I need your help."
"I shall wake Robin and the other," she said as he let go and she ran to the main tent. A few minutes later Robin and the Merry Men were standing around him while Rumple explained what had happened and Robin had agreed to help him.
"You will need to use iron tips on your arrows and I shall enchant the rest of your weapons," Rumple said then looked at Roland standing near Friar Tuck. Rumple walked to Roland when he knelt down and felt guilty at the sad look in Roland's eyes. "Now, now, there is no need for tears. I will bring your mama and papa back."
"That's not why I'm sad," Roland said. "I want to come with you."
"Well, I think you better stay here and guard the friar," he said as he looked up at Tuck and Tuck smiled. "He doesn't look very brave."
"No, I'm not," Tuck said as he played along and Roland looked up at him. "Will you stay and make sure nothing happens to me?"
"Yes," Roland said and Rumple stood up, ruffling Roland's hair. Walking to Regina, Rumple closed his eyes while calming his heart and mind and he, Regina, Robin and the Merry Men vanished in a puff of purple smoke.
Mab's castle
The sound of water dripping woke her while Belle slowly opened her eyes and looked at the stone ceiling. Moss dangled down as the sound of mice scurrying across the floor filled the darkness and she felt straw underneath her. Slowly sitting up, Belle looked at the small barred windows above her as the dim light of the moon filtered into the cell and a large iron door stood between the iron holders with two torches. She got off the small wooden bed as she walked to the wooden table at the center of the room and a small wooden stool sat near the wooden table. She walked to the iron door when she tried to open it, but found the iron door was locked and sighed.
"Not getting out that way," she whispered. If she was some pampered woman like some of her friends, she would be panicking and pounding on the door, but she was Colette D'Leon's daughter. Her mother was not one to frighten easily and had taught her daughter how to think on her feet. Walking while moving her hands along the wall, Belle searched for a way out when her index finger dipped into a crack in the wall and she smiled. Suddenly the sound of heavy footsteps came from behind the iron door and she ran for the small wooden bed. Lying down, she pretended to be asleep as the grating of metal came from behind the iron door and the iron door slowly opened. The heavy footsteps came in the cell as she tried not to move and the heavy footsteps stopped at the side of the small wooden bed.
"There is no use faking. I know you are awake," the Winter Knight growled then shook the small wooden bed hard. Belle rolled onto her back as she looked into the dead eyes of the man who once was known as Gaston and she sighed. "Stand up."
Belle slowly stood up while the Winter Knight came closer and reached out his hand, stroking her cheek. Belle felt ill as she tried not to pull away and he took hold of her upper arms. He moved closer while the foul odor of his breath filled her nostrils and he locked eyes with her.
"I'll break your neck if you try to kick me or step on my feet," he growled.
"Now is that anyway to speak to your fiancé?" a female voice asked. The Winter Knight shoved Belle away as he stood back and Belle looked at the woman standing in the doorway. Belle admitted the woman was flawlessly beautiful and the woman walked in the cell. Her hair was raven black with small traces of blue and purple and her eyes were a deep sapphire blue. Deep enough to make her eyes look black and her hair floated over her shoulders. Her robe was jet black with a slit down the front to show a hint of her breasts and ended just under her navel. The robe clung to her curves then ended at her feet and black leather sandals adored her feet. The long sleeves flared at the end and her fingernails were painted a blood red. The tips of perfectly pointed ears peeked out from under her hair and a gold pendant with a blood ruby dangled between her breasts on a gold chain. "Hello, My Dear. I am…"
"I know who you are," Belle said as she glared at her and Mab softly laughed.
"Well, aren't you a fiery one," Mab said then grabbed hold of Belle's jaw and locked eyes with her. "You do know the only reason you are still alive is because I have need of you."
"If you think he will ally himself with you, you are mistaken," Belle said with a defiant look in her eyes.
"Such a brave thing," Mab said, squeezing Belle's jaw between her fingers. Mab's eyes flashed in a red light as she smiled and Belle breathed hard and fast through her nose.
"Let her go," Merlin growled as she let go of Belle's jaw then turned to face him. The Winter Knight grabbed hold of Belle as Mab walked to Merlin and smiled. He was wearing a long sleeve black linen tunic, a black iron chest plate, a black leather belt, black leather trousers and black leather ankle boots.
"This is a surprise," she said as she walked to Merlin then stroked his right arm and he glared at her. "Where is my puppet?"
"I took care of him." Merlin said with a grin and Belle glared at him. He could see in her eyes how much she hated him, but he had to convince Mab he was on her side. Suddenly the cell shook after an explosion while the dust and shattered stones from the ceiling ran down on them and Mab growled. Another explosion rocked the cell as Belle smiled and Mab looked at the Winter Knight.
"Bring her," she growled as the Winter Knight pushed Belle forward and Merlin followed them out of the cell. The dust and stones fell as the explosions erupted around them and Mab smiled. "He will exhaust his power if he keeps this up. Good, that will make him easier to conquer."
Belle snarled at her back as they went up the stairs and headed down the hallway. The semi-darkness made it hard to see as they cautiously moved along when arrows soared out of the darkness and Mab waved her hand, freezing the arrow in mid-air.
"It looks like he's brought friends," Mab said softly and Merlin smiled. They walked on when an arrow flew out of the darkness and hit Mab in the left shoulder. The burning pain of the iron tip of the arrow moved through her as she bellowed and slowly pulled the arrow out, dropping the arrow to the floor.
"Does that hurt, Mab?" Rumple's voice asked from the darkness and she growled. "There are more where that came from."
"I don't think so," Mab growled when she waved her hand and Belle soared into the air as she felt her throat closing. She kicked her feet in the air as Mab looked at her then at the darkness and laughed. "Tell your friends to lower their weapons or…"
She felt the cold sting of iron against her throat as Rumple appeared behind her and was breathing hard and fast through his nose.
"I wonder, Dearie," he growled and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Which one of us is faster? Want to find out?"
"You won't kill me. You don't have it in you, Coward," she growled.
"You have no idea what I have inside me," he said with his lips close to her ear. She heard the insanity in his high pitched giggle and he pressed her body against him. "Just so you know. No one steals from me. Now, for the last time, put her down."
"I will make you a deal," she said while stroking the back of the hand which held her against him. "I let her go and you serve me as my new Winter Knight."
"What?" the Winter Knight asked as he looked at them and a low growl filled the air.
"Oh dearie, dearie dear, it looks like you've been replaced," Rumple said while looking at the Winter Knight. The Winter Knight snorted as Rumple giggled then looked at Mab. "Put her down and I'll think about it."
Mab nodded when she lowered Belle to her feet and Belle rubbed her throat. She could barely see Rumple behind Mab as he made the iron blade dagger vanish and Mab turned to look at him. Raising her hand, Mab snapped her fingers as the torches and candles lit and bathed the room in a yellow glow.
Merlin saw Regina, Robin and the Merry Men at the end of the hallway as they pointed iron tipped arrows at them and the bodies of slain fey guards littered the floor. Belle wondered how many of the fey guards Rumple had killed as she looked at him and saw the anger and hate in his eyes.
Growling, Mab turned and looked at the black leather boots ending at Rumple's knees, the black leather gloves covering his hands and the tight dark brown leather trousers. He was also wearing a long sleeve brown leather jerkin with a high collar and a brown leather belt around his waist. A small sword scabbard was connected to the brown leather belt and a white linen tunic with a high collar was under the long sleeve brown leather jerkin.
"Wait, I know you," the Winter Knight said as he looked at Rumple. "You're… You're the cripple."
"No," Rumple said as he glared at him then made a bow while flaring his arms out. "I am the Dark One."
With a roar, the Winter Knight removed the large broadsword from the scabbard on his back and charged toward Rumple. Rumple pushed Mab to the floor when he removed the small sword from the scabbard and blocked the broadsword. Pushing back, he watched the Winter Knight stagger backwards when the Winter Knight swung the broadsword and Rumple ducked. Belle ran to Regina while Mab stood up and watched Rumple swing the small sword, but the Winter Knight blocked with the broadsword. The Winter Knight roared as he swung the broadsword and Rumple jumped into the air, did a backflip and landed on his feet.
"Show off," Belle thought while fighting the urge to applaud and Merlin smiled as if he was thinking the same thing. Cheers came from Regina, Robin and the Merry Men as Rumple swung the small sword then waved his left hand and a ball of white light shot into the Winter Knight's face. Bellowing, the Winter Knight staggered back as he swung blindly with the broadsword and Rumple ducked. The Winter Knight crashed into the wall as some of the wall crumbled to the floor and he blinked his eyes a few times.
"I'm over here, Dearie," Rumple said with a high pitched giggle and the Winter Knight growled. Spinning around, the Winter Knight glared at him and Rumple wiggled a finger for him to come closer. The Winter Knight growled when he charged at Rumple and Rumple turned, ran toward the wall then up the wall and flipped over the Winter Knight. Landing on his feet, he looked at the Winter Knight as the Winter Knight slammed into the wall and Rumple breathed hard and fast through his nose.
"Getting tired?" Mab asked. "He doesn't."
"So I've noticed," Rumple said. The Winter Knight growled when he roared and charged at Rumple. Rumple blocked with the small sword after the Winter Knight swung the broadsword and pushed Rumple back a few feet. Raising his left hand, Rumple fired a fireball as the fireball hit the Winter Knight in the face and the white helmet flew through the air. The white helmet clattered to the floor as Rumple looked at the Winter Knight and his eyes went wide. "Seven hells, what are you?"
The face of the Winter Knight looked human, but his head was deformed and misshaped. His ears were dead flesh folded against the side of his head and the once dark hair was now thin strands of white hair. Veins were visible and several tumors were scattered over the surface of his head.
Rumple felt ill as the Winter Knight growled then charged at him, but Rumple got out of the way and raised his hands. The small sword floated in front of him when he moved his hands and the smart sword twirled around in a circle. The small sword twirled faster when he flicked his wrists and the small sword sailed toward the Winter Knight. Before the Winter Knight could move, the small sword sliced through the Winter Knight's neck and his head rocked back then fell to the floor.
"No!" Mab shouted as the Winter Knight's body staggered three steps then fell to the floor. Rumple held his right hand out as the small sword soared back into his hand and she glared at him. Belle was about to run to him when Regina gently grabbed onto Belle's lower arm and shook her head. Rumple waved his hand as the blood vanished from the blade of the small sword then he placed the small sword back in the scabbard. He looked at Mab when Mab raised her hands and black light floated around her fingers. Her eyes were glowing red while she growled when Merlin appeared between her and Rumple and she frowned. "Get out of the way!"
"No," Merlin said. He turned to look at Rumple when he sighed and removed something from the small scabbard behind his back. He held up the silver blade dagger as Rumple growled and backed up a few steps. "You'd think after last time you would have hidden this better."
"Give that to me!" Mab demanded as Merlin waved his left hand and she found she was unable to move or speak.
"I suggest you put that down, Dearie," Rumple said as he looked at Regina and she had an arrow pointed at Merlin's chest. "Or do you think you could survive an arrow to the chest?"
"Neither," Merlin said with a wave of his hand and Regina, Robin and the Merry Men vanished in a puff of black smoke. Belle ran to Rumple, but vanished in a puff of black smoke and Rumple glared at him.
"Where did you send them?" Rumple demanded as he took two steps toward him and Merlin growled.
"Dark One, I command you to stand where you are and not move," he said and Rumple stopped while a small voice roared in his head. "Have you ever wondered who made this curse?"
"Everyone knows the Dark Gods made it."
"Yes, but why tether the curse to a dagger?"
"I don't know."
"It isn't the curse that is tethered to the dagger. It is darkness itself," he said and Rumple frowned.
"You make it sound like the darkness is alive."
"It is. The Dark Gods created the darkness, but the darkness proved even too strong for them. In desperation, they designed this dagger and tethered the darkness to it. But keeping the darkness locked away seemed a waste. This is when they designed the curse and decided only a desperate human soul would be enough to hold the darkness at bay."
"You make it sound like some sort of possession."
"That is exactly what it is. The human host is possessed by the darkness and the darkness feeds on the soul of the host. Once the soul is gone, the darkness takes over."
"That's monstrous," Rumple growled as he tried to move and Merlin sighed, holding the handle of the silver blade dagger tighter in his hand.
"That is why the host seeks out a new soul to take the curse."
"I guess you must be very desperate then if Zoso wanted to pass the curse onto you," Rumple said through clenched teeth.
"I explained that it was a trap. The Dark Gods decided I hadn't suffered enough for turning my back on the darkness and dark magic that Mab used Zoso to make me the Dark One. What they didn't expect was you being there that day."
"He said I had magic."
"You do, but I removed the magic the day you were born."
"Ah, another thing you failed to tell me," Rumple said, flicking his hands in the air then rolled his eyes.
"Do you think I wanted my grandson…?"
"Do not call me that! We are not family!" Rumple growled and Merlin felt his heart shatter. "If you knew it was a trap, why didn't you stop him?"
"Don't you think I didn't try? The glade was sealed once you entered. Even I wasn't strong enough to get through."
"No, that isn't the reason. The reason you didn't do anything is because you are nothing more than a coward!"
Anger roared through Merlin when he stormed toward Rumple and Rumple gasped when Merlin slammed the silver blade in his chest. Merlin saw the shock in Rumple's eyes, but Rumple didn't see the small white light flashing in Merlin's eyes as he fell to the floor and Merlin looked at the blood rolling down the silver blade. Rumple's name faded as Merlin watched his true name appear on the silver blade then looked at Mab. The darkness roared through him as the small voice laughed and Merlin waved his left hand. Mab walked closer as she looked down at Rumple and moved her hand up his arm.
"Welcome back," she purred when he brushed her hand away and glared at her. She noticed his eyes now looked snake-like and his skin had golden scales, but the hate she saw his eyes made her back up.
"Don't like what you see, Dearie," Merlin said then made a high pitched giggle. "I guess the Dark Gods never told you the whole story. Yes, they made the darkness and the dagger in which to tether the darkness, but they needed a perfect human soul to control the darkness. That perfect human soul was mine! That is why my mother hid me away. Not just because of my power or who my father may or may not have been. It was because she didn't wish me to become this! So, to thank you, I will give you the one thing you fear the most."
"No, Merlin, please, not that!" Mab begged, falling to her knees and hugged his legs. His eyes flashed in a red light as he raised his hands and pointed to the silver blade dagger skyward. "Wait, if you do this, you will have to change his memories and the memories of all those who know him."
"I know."
"He will still blame himself for what happened before he was the Dark One."
"Yes, but hopefully their love will surpass it."
"How will he explain where he has been for the last ten years?
"That is none of your concern."
"Please, by the Dark Gods, don't do this," Mab begged while he gave her a cold look and held tightly onto the handle of the silver blade dagger.
"By the dark power, I remove you from the thoughts of every man, woman, young adult, child, toddler, infant and the unborn! No longer will any creature of the normal or mystical realms know of you or your name! No longer will beings of the normal and mystical nature such as myself will know you or your name! You are now forgotten! You no longer exist!" he bellowed and black lightning crackles around them. The room was filled with a blinding white light as Mab screamed and Merlin looked down at Rumple after the blinding white light faded. Mab and her castle were gone as Merlin looked at the moon shining in the dark sky then slid the silver blade dagger back in the small scabbard. The puff of black smoke enveloped them then vanished as the wind blew away the dust which was once Mab and her castle and thick black clouds moved slowly across the dark sky, blocking out the full moon.