Emma showed up at the pawn shop the next morning with questions about Ursula and Poseidon. The sea god's visit to the harbor had not gone unnoticed; at least one concerned citizen had called the sheriff's office. In addition, it seemed Hook had indeed tried to preempt the Savior's disapproval by volunteering his side of the story first.
"And if I hadn't brought Ursula back, he never would have said a word," said Emma. "Just like my parents with Maleficent. And Regina, don't get me started! Everyone thinks they can just sweep everything under the rug!"
"A common enough urge, Ms. Swan." Rumple smiled wryly. He glanced at Belle. "Who wants to dredge up old uncomfortable memories?"
"No games, Gold. I want the true story. Can you give me that?"
"I have no reason to lie. And let's not forget about your super power."
Emma scoffed. "Let's not forget how it doesn't seem to work on you."
Belle squeezed Rumple's hand. "Look, all that with Elsa, it was a mistake. His, and mine, and Ingrid's. We made the wrong choices, and we're sorry."
"Ehn," grunted Rumple, not looking terribly sorry, but he didn't argue.
"So start talking."
Despite his show of reluctance, Rumple was happy to fill the Savior in. As he had told Belle before, it didn't paint the pirate in a very good light. Additional testimony from Belle only made it seem worse.
"Ariel? Wait, Killian helped her find Eric, using his cloak that was in the back of your shop, Gold. Weren't you there, Belle?"
"Then he lied. That wasn't Ariel. That was Zelena under a glamour spell." Belle heard Rumple's sharp intake of breath. He hadn't known. Belle had only realized it herself yesterday after the real Ariel had shown up and she had had time to think about what the mermaid had said. She hadn't said anything to Rumple, not wanting to cause him further pain with something that no longer mattered now that Zelena was powerless and behind bars.
"Her spell," Rumple said slowly. "The curse to take away your magic, Savior. That must have been how she set it on Hook. She tricked him into a corruption of love. If he lied to you about the mermaid and used that to win your regard..."
Emma's eyes narrowed. "He let me think he was the one who brought them together!"
Belle shook her head. "Sorry, Emma."
"One damn thing after another." Emma slapped the counter angrily. "Was he hoping I'd never find out?"
"It was a busy day," said Rumple. "Perhaps it slipped his mind."
"I'll show him 'slipped his mind'!" Emma stormed out.
Into the silence after the bell stopped ringing, Belle sighed. "Well, I suppose if he really is trying to be better, some dirty laundry is bound to come to light."
Rumple looked away. "I know I haven't always been forthright."
Belle bit her lip, remembering Anna. "I'm not in a position to throw stones, either. We'll just have to muddle on, somehow."
"Speaking of which..."
Belle nodded. "Time I was opening the library."
Rumple was reluctant to leave her by herself, but they each had their role to play, and the library was an important resource to keep open. It was something Belle believed in strongly enough that he didn't try to stop her.
"Henry." Belle smiled as Rumple's grandson came into the library and walked up to her desk.
"Hi, Grandma," came his cheerful, teasing greeting.
She didn't rise to the bait. "What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if you have any books on Cruella."
Belle nodded. "Yes, there's actually two: The Hundred and One Dalmations and a sequel. I haven't had time to read everything yet, but the story in the novel isn't what happened to our Cruella, as far as I can tell."
"Same with the Disney cartoon," Henry agreed. "For one thing, Pongo ended up with Dr. Hopper!"
"But what about your storybook? I thought that told all of our real stories."
He shook his head. "Her story isn't in there. Actually, she was really interested in my book even though it didn't mention her. So then I wondered about what the Land Without Magic versions said."
"I see." Belle found Cruella's interest worrying, but didn't want to alarm the boy. "Well, you can borrow the two novels and see what you think." She helped him check out the library's copies of the battered hardcovers. She could just read the digital versions. It hadn't taken long in this land for her to appreciate the convenience of ebook readers. They were certainly easier to carry!
"Thanks, Grandma!" He grinned at her and stuffed the books into his backpack.
"Be careful around Cruella," she couldn't resist saying. Maybe it was better to be a little bit afraid than to charge straight into a dangerous situation.
"I know, Mom already told me. And so did Mom," he said in his confusing way. "I think Cruella must have some history with her in the Enchanted Forest. She kept dropping hints, all this stuff about the scary Evil Queen."
"I'm sure Regina was delighted." Belle remembered Cruella trying to get under Rumple's skin back when Belle had been her hostage. "I think she's just like that. Cruella, I mean."
"Yeah, maybe. Anyway, that's why I need to find out more."
"Town meeting? Tonight?" Belle hoped they weren't being threatened by another curse or doomsday device or enemy. One damn thing after another, as Emma had put it. "Are we in danger?"
Rumple shook his head. "No, no. Charming dropped by the shop this afternoon. Apparently they came to an agreement with Lily and Emma to restore the balance of darkness between them."
"How are they planning to do that?" Belle wondered if the fairies had agreed to help them, or...
Rumple smirked. "How do you think?"
Belle sighed. "And the price?"
"Snow and Charming will each owe me a favor."
"What will you ask of them?"
"Ah. I was thinking of not calling in the favor right away. Keep them wondering..." His smile acquired a cruel edge, and Belle knew it was his way of punishing them. No matter how 'reformed' a face he showed them, everyone knew it was only a mask. A mask he was happy enough to let slip when he wanted to menace someone — Belle was about the only person who trusted that that face, the face of the monster, was also a mask.
Half of her disapproved, but a darker half thought that Snow and Charming deserved more than a few sleepless nights for the years of misery they had caused. But Maleficent didn't want a feud, which Belle had to respect. "You told them you could do it? Can you?"
He shrugged. "I promised to try my best. I have a few ideas, yes, starting with the Apprentice."
That made sense. "So what's the town meeting for?"
"A public apology was requested as one of the terms of their truce. Perhaps not as satisfying as roasting Storybrooke in a sheet of dragon fire, but much less damaging to property values."
"Whose idea was that?" Belle had never heard of royalty abasing themselves that way to commoners — villains, even! — back in their old land. Only subordinates had to render apologies to their superiors — apologies that could prove fatal when mere groveling was deemed insufficient.
"Lily's and Emma's. Lily was especially persuasive once she proved able to take dragon form — fair bursting with the fire of youth, she was." Rumple chuckled, and Belle knew he meant it as more than a figure of speech.
"I see. That was quick work, then."
"Oh, the Charming clan can move quickly, given motivation. And with Granny and the dwarves to spread the word, half the town will likely be there. That's why they're holding the meeting in the theatre rather than the town hall."
Storybrooke was too small to have a proper theatre, so the high school auditorium was where everyone staged their events.
It was more than a formal apology. Snow White resigned her position as mayor, and David from the sheriff's office. Their slow retreat past the seated council members and down the stairs off the stage signalled the end of an era.
Belle was initially surprised at the nods and murmurs of good riddance among the crowd of townsfolk. As Belle listened, the whispers coalesced in her mind's eye into a single entity, individual identities poured into a rippling pond whose history she could read at a glance. The people who had once supported Snow so loyally in her war against Regina had had their faith shaken. Of course, Regina had always had her partisans who had never liked Snow, along with those who had never cared for either side of that conflict. Then there was the persistent rumor that both Snow and Regina (not to mention King George) were merely pawns in the Dark One's game.
But this latest trickle of discontent had begun shortly after the first Dark Curse had broken. The ones who had expected some kind of justice against the Evil Queen had been disappointed when apparently all had been forgiven without even a trial or a hearing, either out of family loyalty or expedience. They had needed Regina as a magic-using ally against first Peter Pan, then Zelena — who had turned out to be Regina's sister. Now that Regina was one of the 'inner circle', that put the Wicked Witch too close to the center of power for comfort. Then the remaining good will of the town had drained away with the revelations about their crime (and coverup of said crime) against an innocent baby.
Maleficent, in human form and dressed to fit into this land, formally received the apology alongside her daughter, then took a seat of honor at the side of the stage. Mal's bearing was somehow even more regal than most kings could manage. True, she was known as a villain, but people had begun to wonder if there was more to the story behind her feud with Aurora's kingdom than was commonly known. After all, Robin Hood's bunch had proclaimed her 'a decent sort, really', and who would know better than the ones who had tried to rob her, been caught, then escaped not only with their lives but a gift of the gold they had stolen?
Aurora herself sat in the front row of the audience. She looked wary of the old dragon but disinclined to pick a fight. Belle remembered that even Philip, who had been transformed into a mute beast by Maleficent, had only wanted to find Aurora again with no talk of pursuing vengeance. It seemed they had called a truce here in Storybrooke.
Belle and Rumple had seats much farther back, the better to observe the audience.
Then the town council took their turn, announcing the appointment of an acting mayor until the elections scheduled for three months from now.
"Taran, Mr. Pelerin in this land, who has served so ably as our city manager through two administrations..." The council chair rambled on on about the man's qualifications, and that of the new city manager, one Delphine White.
Belle sensed general approbation from the crowd, but had to ask Rumple who they had been in the other realm.
"He was an Assistant Pig-Keeper," Rumple murmured. "She was an oracular pig. By the look of things, it'll be a sweep come election time. Dear Regina hasn't a chance against those two."
"Why, did you make some deal with them?"
He chuckled. "On the contrary. They've never had need of my assistance. Hence their worthiness in the eyes of the disillusioned masses."
Belle nodded. "And it's about time non-humans were better represented in our government." It hit closer to home now that she knew what she knew about her own mother. And yourself. No use playing coy...
Rumple had arranged with Maleficent, Emma, and Lily to meet at the sorcerer's mansion the next morning. Belle joined him as a matter of course, closing the library for the day. She noted Hook's absence without comment. Not that he would be any use in a magical endeavor, but ever since he had brought Emma back to Storybrooke, he had taken to sticking to the Savior like a limpet. Belle could only hope that the latest revelations of his treachery had pushed Emma to pry him off.
He tried to kill her when they met. You can't blame him for trying to paint himself in a better light, came the cynical thought. If the truth won't serve, then lies will have to do!
Belle refused to condone that line of thinking. At least when I met Rumple, he was there to save lives! And he's never tried to hurt me.
Desperate souls take whatever's on offer. The pirate was the last man standing.
Hardly that. Plenty of decent folk left in Storybrooke, Belle told herself. Or did Emma not want 'decent'? Had the removal of her natural darkness left her craving it in other people? Had the shadow of the Dark One and Peter Pan (not to mention abandonment) left a mark on Baelfire? And Walsh had been in Zelena's service. Thinking back, Emma had shown a soft spot for Hook from the beginning.
Belle remembered finding Archie in the hold of the Jolly Roger, bound and tortured. Hook had never even seen the inside of a jail cell for that, had he? Nor for his attempts to kill Belle herself! A year later, Emma hadn't even remembered until Belle had reminded her.
If Rumple hadn't punished him, no one else ever would have. Belle herself, amnesiac at the time, had been in no position to pursue any kind of justice. No one else cared.
Just as no one else had cared to rescue Rumple from Zelena.
Just as Snow and David had hidden their history with Maleficent and hadn't done anything to help her until now.
No one feels accountable until they are forced to. Without power, those who have it ignore you if they have good intentions, or laugh at you if not. Or rip your heart out for daring to question them. Justice is defined by those who have the power to enforce it.
Perhaps things would be different under this Taran Pelerin. He had sounded like a practical, fair-minded man during the question-and-answer session at the town meeting. 'Assistant Pig-Keeper' didn't sound like someone born into nobility. It sounded outwardly humble, yet almost arrogant in the way he wore it as a title when he had introduced himself in his acceptance speech. The other, the one-time oracular pig, was older than her one-time assistant keeper. She was a woman of few words, and had the look of a seasoned adventurer to Belle's eye. Belle wondered if she was still an oracle. It might be worth consulting her, especially if the Apprentice proved as unhelpful as Rumple had implied.
But that was a question for later.
Meanwhile, in Hook's absence, Cruella de Vil had tagged along with Emma. Emma didn't look pleased, but Cruella was obviously not the sort of person who cared what other people thought.
"I'm giving this redemption lark a spin," she said at Rumple's scowl. "As that's the only game going in this pathetic backwater. What better role model to follow than the Swan Princess here?"
Belle didn't believe a word of it, but wasn't a hero obligated to give people a chance? She opened her mouth to say something encouraging when she saw a streak of motion out of the corner of her eye.
Mr. Mistoffeles had fled the room the moment Cruella set foot inside the house.
Belle pursed her lips. This cat who wasn't scared of anything panicked at the sight of Cruella? Her vision revealed little about the woman, only a shimmer of strange magic that clung about her.
"Cruella has a way with animals," Rumple murmured in her ear. "Quite the gift..."
"Never mind me. Where's Mal and her spawnlet?" Cruella strolled deeper into the mansion, inspecting the furnishings. She opened a cabinet, then closed it again in disgust. "Where do you get a drink in this dump?"
"There's a kitchen in the back," Belle told her. "We have tea, coffee, juice..."
"A real drink, darling."
"Yeah, let's not," Emma broke in. "Coffee's good."
Maleficent and Lily arrived just as the coffee was getting cold.
"You're late." Rumple's patience had already begun to fray. Then he gave Lily a second look. "Not a morning person, I take it."
Lily glared blearily and gave him the finger.
The gesture was done differently in Avonlea, but Belle got the gist. She hurried to smooth things over. "Never mind. They're here now." As if she was back in the Dark Castle, she offered Mal and Lily drinks.
Mal shook her head, but Lily gruffly accepted a bottle of orange juice.
"Right, so we're all here," said Emma. "What's the plan, Gold?"
The magic of the sorcerer's hat evoked gasps of awe from everyone who had not witnessed it before, cracking even Cruella and Lily's jaded exteriors. Then the light show faded, leaving them blinking away the starry afterimages.
An old man with a mass of brushy white beard stood before them — the sorcerer's apprentice, according to Rumple. He shot them a startled look. "This is not..."
Emma interrupted with, "You. Why did you do it? How could you ruin someone's life like that? An innocent baby?"
"Believe me, it wasn't my choice." The Apprentice glanced at Lily. "As I once explained to young Lilith—"
"I know what choice my parents made, but why did you even suggest it?" Emma shoved a chair aggressively at him. "Why go along with it?"
The Apprentice sat down heavily. "The Author abused his power to force me to play out his charade..."
"This the same Author that Regina and Henry are obsessed with? He really exists?" Emma glanced at Lily, who shrugged.
"That's what he told me, yeah. Makes sense if we're all just fairy tales," Lily said. She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.
Belle had Lacey's childhood memories of TV and Disney cartoons, and her own subsequent reading in this land corroborating that point. Rumple said nothing, the set of his shoulders emanating a quiet fatalism to Belle's eye. He apparently believed in the existance of an Author that could dictate their fates. Belle shook her head, mutely rebelling against the idea.
Emma echoed her doubts. "I don't buy it. Something doesn't add up..."
The Apprentice sighed. "I'm afraid it's the truth."
His every line screamed falseness, and Belle couldn't hold her tongue any longer. "It's not the only thing that doesn't add up. Lily's life is not the only one you meddled with. It was you who set Ingrid's sights on Emma, your prophecy that twisted her mind!"
"It was vital that I retrieve the sorcerer's hat from such dangerous hands," the Apprentice said.
"The hat you guarded so assiduously from the Dark One," Rumple pointed out. "Yet you left it unattended in this very mansion for me to find. Why?"
"That was not my doing..."
"You're lying!" Belle and Emma said simultaneously. They glanced at each other. Belle nodded, yielding the questioning to the Savior.
"So. Lily. Ingrid. Gold." Emma ticked off each name on her fingers. "That's three people you've messed with. Isn't that some kind of magic fairy tale number?"
"Indeed, three is a number of power in quests, curses, and destinies," murmured Maleficent. "If he has arranged such a thing, it is not by coincidence."
"Well?" demanded Emma. "You ruined Lily's life. Nearly got Ingrid killed, not to mention everyone in Storybrooke who almost got caught in the crossfire. What the hell was worth all that?"
The Apprentice looked from one face to another, his own expression beginning to resemble that of a cornered rat. Just as Belle began to fear he would try to fight his way out, he seemed to deflate. "No less than the preservation of our world. And the removal of that which never belonged there..." His eyes flickered towards Rumple, then a piercing look at Belle, finally settling on Emma. "But despite all efforts, you have perversely chosen to embrace the Darkness."
"I'm not embracing anyone," retorted Emma. "That hasn't turned out too great for me lately. As for Gold, he's been a damn sight more helpful than any other magical type in this town."
The Apprentice frowned. "Perhaps I could have rendered more assistance had the Dark One not imprisoned me inside the hat..."
"'Perhaps' butters no bread," scoffed Rumple. "As someone intimately familiar with verbal loopholes, I advise you to leave out the hypotheticals."
"Yeah, he's got a point. Cut the crap."
"There is a prophecy," the Apprentice said at last. "My master foresees a time when all the realms of story collapse in unbelief, falling to nothing."
Belle looked at Rumple. Was this a future he had ever seen?
"A final battle, triggered by Ms. Swan's arrival inside the story." Rumple hesitated, lifting one hand in front of his eyes as if grasping for another vision. "Or... or perhaps her son."
"Henry's the Truest Believer," Belle remembered. "Is that it?"
"The paths of prophecy are convoluted," said the Apprentice.
"Yeah, still not buying it," growled Emma. "You undo what you did to me and Lily, then maybe we'll talk about saving the world from whatever apocalyptic bullshit your 'master' dreamed up."
"My dear child, that is not possible." The Apprentice gave her a pained look. "I cannot undo what was done any more than I could unpour a vial of ink mixed into a cup of water."
"Maybe you cannot, but the Author has power to rewrite all our fates, does he not?" Rumple put in.
"Perhaps," the Apprentice conceded. "But—"
"No!" Emma cut him off sharply. "No more excuses. I promised to do right by Lily. Where is this Author now?"
"My master imprisoned him as punishment for abusing his power and forsaking his holy duty."
"Who is this master of yours, anyway?"
"The sorcerer Merlin."
Belle nodded to herself. She knew that from her studies. It was the rest of the Apprentice's explanation she doubted. As punishment? Or to get him out of the way and keep him from interfering with this prophecy of theirs? Was he really that powerful? Her breath caught for a moment. Could he write a story in which the darkness no longer corroded their hearts? What if darkness could become light with the stroke of a pen?
Belle returned her focus to the conversation at hand. Think about everything else later. Emma was pressing the Apprentice for more details, which he seemed reluctant to give.
"You endanger the future of the realms with this course of action!"
"Yeah, well, the future won't be worth much if it means selling out all my friends and letting you play judge, jury, and executioner." Emma was having none of it. "Trapping someone for eternity in a book? Doesn't that count as cruel and unusual punishment?"
"Yes, an author trapped in a page with no words, how droll," said Cruella with a smirk. "Do let the poor fellow out. I'd quite like to meet him."
"Me, too." Emma already had her phone out. "I texted Henry and Regina. They should be here soon..." She had barely finished the sentence when Regina materialized with Henry in a puff of purple smoke.
"You found him!" Henry bounced right in without preamble, a piece of paper in his hand. "Is he really in here? How do we get him out?"
Emma turned to the Apprentice. "Well? How do we get him out?"
He reached for the paper. Belle caught a glimpse of the illustration. A closed door, just as he had said. Then the Apprentice shook his head, handing the paper back to Henry. "This isn't the real page. It's a copy."
"What?" Henry felt at the edges where it had been torn from his book. "But it fits exactly where August tore it out. Mom got it from August's father. He wouldn't trick us, would he?"
Regina frowned. "The old man wasn't too happy with me, I admit, but I apologized. And he didn't even know anything about the book in the first place."
"But someone does. Someone else who wants the Author," said Rumple. Belle would have suspected him of stealing the page himself, once. Now she could see too clearly that even though he knew more than he had said about the matter, he had not known about where the Author had been hidden.
The Apprentice shook his head. "They may have the page, but they won't be able to free him without the proper key."
"You have it?" asked Emma.
"No, but it's safe. No one knows where it is, and it's enchanted to prevent anyone stumbling across it accidentally."
"Yeah, no, let's see it, then." Emma spoke for all of them, judging by the way everyone nodded.
"Very well." The Apprentice stood up. "It's in the library." The crowd parted to let him lead the way.
"There's a library?" Belle exchanged a glance with Rumple. A powerful enchantment, to hide a whole room under their very noses. As the Apprentice opened a door Belle had never noticed before, she wondered what else was hidden there. Books! Whose books? Merlin's?
But she had no time to indulge her curiosity now.
The Apprentice opened a desk drawer to reveal...
Nothing.
The key was gone.
Author's notes: As far as this story goes, Rumple didn't know everything Zelena got up to, so he doesn't know the exact details of how she cast that curse on Emma. He's speculating on one possible way it could have happened, given what he knows about how that magic works. And as far as I can remember, Hook lied about the Ariel situation back in s03e17, then never 'fessed up to it even after the threat from Zelena was neutralized.
The Black Cauldron movie is no more accurate as far as this AU is concerned than the other classic Disney cartoons, but probably many of the characters do exist in some form. None of them are secretly Rumple or related to Rumple (or the Charming-Mills clan)!