Rumple's return to the Arcane University had been swift and without warning but these days nobody in the administration section startled at his sudden appearance. Seeing the mythical Dark One in the halls wasn't anything new. Demeer hadn't been anywhere to be found in his office so Rumple had been forced to search him out only to stumble across Leotomas who spoke with a half-grasswalker professor in the hallway. Said professor sneered at Rumple then quickly departed with hardly a polite goodbye to Leotomas – publicly the University had aligned with the Dark One but that didn't mean everyone who worked there wished to embrace that fact.
The tall werewolf nodded a greeting in that stoic way of his and brushed his long hair back over his shoulder. Rumple hadn't yet seen one of Dreymyr's werewolves in their animal form, but he assumed it would be a lot like werewolves he was used to in the Enchanted Forest; that girl in the hood for instance.
"Where's Demeer?"
"In a meeting with the department heads. I'll fetch him for you as soon as it finishes." Rumple opened his mouth to object but Leotomas simply continued speaking unwilling to hear complaints. Part of his job was to smooth tensions and circumvent those intent on dragging out a situation. "If I may, you should speak with Queen Phria first."
That had Rumple lift an eyebrow for two reasons: Firstly, he'd not heard anybody refer to his wife as Queen Phria before. Secondly, if Leotomas had felt the need to raise the subject, then the situation must have been important. Jefferson wouldn't like yet another delay, but Rumple's wife came first; besides, he could always just blame Demeer's poorly timed meeting. So, with curiosity and mild concern lingering in his thoughts, Rumple marched off to Phria's room with determined steps. By this stage Rumple had memorized the path but teleported anyway and entered without a sparing a thought to knocking. Inside he found his beautiful bride sharpening her daggers slowly, no noise save for the grating of steel against her whetstone like a gentle melody. Belle may have been his scholar, but Phria was his warrior.
Rumple leaned against the doorway a moment with his arms folded to just look at his beautiful wife. What an enchanting sight she was with hair like silk and emerald eyes that twinkled brightly – at least they usually did. When she looked at him in that moment they were dulled revealing her mind to be pre-occupied. Still, she smiled the moment she saw him and set her things aside to embrace him. Against his dragonlinghide coat her armor clattered but neither paid it any mind.
"Hello, darling." A light kiss found its way to her temple. "Leotomas says you have something to tell me." Well, that wasn't quite what the werewolf had said but it was definitely what he'd meant. "Nothing bad, I hope."
Those lovely green eyes peered up at him as his hands went to rest on her slender waist to keep her close.
"Not bad exactly," she sighed. "I've been relieved of duty. I'm no longer the Valkyrie Captain." Rumple's lips parted to question but Phria continued more to ease her own worries than his. "The Grand Mage is right that it's best for everyone involved. I can't be in two places at once and I can't carry out the duties of both Valkyrie Captain and your wife all at the same time. It isn't sustainable and my loyalties seem split."
"Phria, darling, you have no duties as my wife beyond being my wife. There isn't any need for you to run the household or be present every five seconds. You are the youngest to ever be promoted to Captain of the Valkyries, something to be proud of, and if you wish to continue then I shan't object. I'm your husband not your owner."
That had Phria smile and rest her cheek to his shoulder. "You're a good man, Rumple, and a good husband. I've loved my time here at the University, it's been my home for so long, but you're my home now. It is for the best even if it hurts at first. I know Scarlette and Isadora will take good care of the Valkyries and it isn't as though I've been banished in disgrace, I can still visit. The Grand Mage allowed me to keep my wing gear so the University is always just a flight away." Phria paused a moment then to worry her lip, then she made her way back across the room where she sat at the square table. Rumple raised a brow but quickly joined her. "There is something else though, that's probably what Leotomas meant."
"Enlighten me, darling."
"There is a handful of Valkyries who have chosen to follow me in leaving. They feel more loyalty to me than the Valkyries and wish to serve me."
"How many is a few, and what do you mean they've chosen to follow you?" Rumple asked with slight puzzlement.
"Seven. They have opted to pledge their loyalty to you via me as their queen. They're all capable warriors, trust me on that. I spoke with Belle about it and we thought it would be a good idea to have a castle guard. Renner has to protect the children and your land is rather expansive. Every royal palace has a guard, I thought these seven could be ours. A small unit of highly trained warriors."
It was quite clear she felt she needed to talk Rumple into the idea but, when he actually thought about it, she was right. He hated the thought of being a king but that was essentially what he'd become and, while powerful, Rumple couldn't be there to protect the castle and everybody in it every second of every day. Seven wasn't an army but one Valkyrie was likely worth a dozen regular soldiers if not more. Besides, it sounded like his wives had already discussed it and come to an agreement on the whole thing; informing him was just a courtesy. Some days Rumple found himself pondered whether or not his brides being in cahoots so easily should have concerned him. 'At least they get along well' muttered his mind. They'd been the ones to assure him having two wives was acceptable and had given their blessing on the matter, they'd been the ones to encourage him in taking the girls in and taken up the role of mother to them easily. Rumple wouldn't ever be convinced he deserved either of them.
"You and Belle are right, having guards for the castle would increase security and relieve pressures off of you, Renner and I." He'd rather not have had more people than needed inside the new Dark Castle, but needs must. Where once he'd been a lonely old monster, he'd found himself surrounded by those he cared about and now those who protected those he cared about. "Where are these women now?"
"Flying to the Demon Lord's Domain." She smiled then rose to kiss his cheek. "I've told them to obey Belle until you and I return."
"Good, good." He nodded only to hold up a warning. "I have some rules if they are to stay."
"Anything," Phria told him quickly.
"Firstly, they report to Renner if you or I are unavailable." That was quickly agreed to. Renner may not have been a soldier but he'd been with Rumple's family the longest and was therefore the most trusted. "Secondly, if the land comes under attack, they will be deployed without question."
"They'd expect nothing less. I think the only ones stupid or greedy enough to attack your new territory is the Church and Knightly Order. These seven are no friends of theirs and won't have an issue defending our home if it comes to that."
"Then I suppose they can stay." He teased knowing very well his wonderful wives had already made the decision for him, his agreement was simply a formality by that point.
~X~
The very second Demeer had left his meeting with the department heads, Rumple had grabbed him by the arm and teleported the trio to Shark Island – an ominous place with sheer cliffs, a very flat top and totally surrounded by hungry sharks. The sort of place hope went to drown itself. Akula Prison at first looked like little more than a country manor house atop the only real hill on the entire island. Autumnal trees dotted the area and the building itself wasn't all that large or imposing; well made and old, but not imposing. However, this was only the administration building, the public face, and something dark lurked underneath. Akula Prison had actually been constructed entirely underground in an extensive network of tunnels, then re-enforced by wards and guarded by some of the most intense looking women the Valkyries possessed.
Inside the administration building Jefferson had been pacing on the stone floors since practically the moment Rumple had left. Valkyries went this way and that mostly ignoring the strange man and his hat, but agitation virtually dripped off of Jefferson. The moment he spotted Rumple, Phria and Demeer he launched toward them. Poor man looked like he'd not slept in a good few days.
"Finally! Where the hell have you been?"
"We are here now, Jefferson." Said Demeer in a calming tone before he turned to address Rumple and Phria. "Probably best not to mention your retirement while we're here, Phria. You and I will speak to Warden Havelock."
With little more than a nod from the white-haired pantherian, the two walked away while Jefferson returned to his pacing. Rumple didn't speak, just magicked himself to the Dark Castle to collect Belle has he'd promised then swiftly returned after he'd been assured the seven former Valkyries had arrived and provided quarters to settle into.
"Are you all right, Jefferson?" Belle asked sweetly as soon as they'd appeared. The nineteen-year-old queen rested a hand atop his forearm finally bringing him to a halt. Belle had sparkling sapphires filled with concern.
The Hatter sighed. "No. No, Belle, I'm not. That damn demon lord is just sitting down there and Grace -"
Suddenly Belle was hugging Jefferson which startled him into a statue-like stillness. "Everything will be all right. We're here now. Just a little longer."
Bless Belle and her sweet, caring nature. Jefferson physically relaxed as he absorbed Belle's gentle comfort. She had this unique ability to sooth even the most agitated of nerves with a balm of solace. Rumple adored Belle's genuine kindness, if he'd had that three hundred years ago his life would have been dramatically different.
Demeer and Phria returned then with yet another woman adorned in cobalt armor. Her hair was short, gray and neat, her eyes amber and set into a stern face which she used to scowl unashamedly at Rumple.
"Warden Gretchen Havelock, may I introduce you to Jefferson, one of my mages." A white lie simply to speed things along after so much red tape. "As well as the Dark One Rumpelstiltskin and his wife, Queen Belle du Marchand."
"Valkyries are meant to kill demon lords."
"Havelock!" Phria snapped. "Our duty is to defend the Arcane University and uphold the reputation of the Mages Guild."
Gretchen had the sense to back down and apologized for her rudeness. Demeer seized the opportunity to get them back on track and soon had Gretchen guide the group through the administration building, passed the Topper and began their journey down the ominous winding stairs. The entrance to the underground section looked much like a gargantuan bottomless well with uneven stairs and next to no light; each new step grew colder and darker even with the ball of light Demeer had conjured. Every now and again they'd come to a new level with a thick metal gate which branched off to a cell block heavily guarded by trained Valkyries. None of these branches were of interest to the group though, instead they continued down deeper into the earth knowing that each and every prisoner there was little more than a savage monster. Many may not have noticed, but Rumple, Demeer and Jefferson could practically taste the magic in the air. A toxic miasma intent on suffocating them if given half a chance. There may have only been four demon lords to ever rampage through Dreymyr, but that didn't mean they were the only ones to stumble into dark magic and evil ways.
"Are you certain you want to see her, Grand Mage?" Gretchen asked as they continued down the stairs, her voice echoed off the cold walls as though to re-enforce the question. "She's in solitary for a reason."
"While I appreciate your concern, Warden Havelock, this is something which must happen."
The less Gretchen knew about their reason for being at Akula Prison the better, it left things simpler and eased tensions. Finally, finally they reached the lowest level which again brought back the sense of being at the bottom of a well. The steps came to an abrupt end at another heavy metal gate with two Valkyries posted outside to guard it.
"Lock this door behind us." Gretchen ordered once the gate had been unlocked and pulled open with a high-pitched squeak. "This door doesn't open again unless I say it does."
As they made their way down the narrow rock hallway Belle clung to Rumple's arm while Phria instinctively rested one hand on her sword hilt; Jefferson and Demeer brought up the rear. Rumple had expected the intense weight of dark magic to grow heavier the closer to Ravavena's cell they got, but bizarrely the pressure actually seemed to ease from their shoulders. Where the upper levels had felt like drowning, pressure building up inside their heads, the path to Ravavena's cell actually provided respite from it.
Eventually they stepped out into a mostly square opening of bluish-gray rock supported by two surprisingly ornate pillars. A white ball of light lingered in a crevice between the two giving the suggestion of sunlight even that deep down and a large platform called the floor between the pillars home. None of that was what held the group's attention though, no, they were much too focused on the giant circular door and the Little Disaster held beyond.
"I warn you all," began Gretchen as she removed an octagonal ruby charged with magic from her pocket and approached the circular platform. "Ravavena may look beautiful but she's a deceptively dangerous monster. You can't trust a word a demon lord says, they manipulate and corrupt without shame."
Phria and Belle flashed an unimpressed look at Gretchen but Rumple couldn't have cared less, he was intensely used to people being distrustful of him and it showed a person to be at least somewhat intelligent rather than blindly trusting him. Gretchen's warning wasn't mistaken, just immaterial and thus fell on deaf ears.
"I think we can handle it, dearie, just open the door already."
Begrudgingly, Gretchen obeyed after a nod from both Demeer and Phria. She placed the ruby into a slot at the centre of the round platform then began to remove the wards. Spells broke and heavy chains hidden in the floor retracted until finally, with a whoosh of air, the circular cell door rotated then opened like a slow yawn.
After all that red tape and politics Rumple had finally found his way to another demon lord.