David frowned feeling a dash of cool water drip onto is forehead, opening his eyes to see it seeping through the cracks in the stone ceiling above. Squinting, he recoiled away from the light that shined through a small window, causing his head to throb while the affects from the magic sleeping dust, wore off.
"Ugh, that hurts more then I remember". David grunted in pay as he sat up, from the cold hard rocky floor where he laid unconscious.
The world around him fuzzy, he rubbed his eyes in the hopes it would clear things up, but small cell was familiar. He gasped as the iron gates of the Evil Queens dungeon came into view; he reached forwards causing a pain to radiate up his spine.
"Finally, your awake, had me worried" A calming unfamiliar voice said before letting out a small, chocked laugh.
"Who's there?" David raised his eyebrows now on his feet, his body rigid.
"Relax, I'm trapped too". The nonchalant voice was coming from the cell beside his.
David ignored the man stepping forwards, he grabbed the bars, using all his strength he rattled the door, hoping to somehow break the chains.
"Don't think that's going to free you?" the man scoffed amused.
"I'll try anything, I must find my family". David grunted as he continued to struggle fruitlessly.
"Anything?" The voice enquired intrigued, almost amazed by this statement.
"Do you have a suggestion?" David sighed, growing frustrated in his desperation.
"I have the keys". The man said rattling them in his hand, upon hearing the sound Davids eyes went wide and he gasped with relief.
"Then why do you stay here?" He questioned suspicious.
"Freedom, it's an illusion". The man responded hopeless.
"Pass them over now, please". David ordered, fearful that his chance at escape was slipping.
"Are you sure" He paused smacking his lips "you'll find what you're looking for out there?" his voice trailed off his mind absent. There was silence for a long tense moment, before the stranger let out a delirious laugh, as if someone had just uttered the punchline to a joke.
"Stop playing games". David grunted out any patience he had evaporated, barely able to breathe soundly he knew now he wouldn't again, until he found them.
"Hmm, that's all if ever had… but if you insist". The man sighed remaining composed.
All David could hear was scuffling in the rock and a small grunt before a single rusted key attacked to a ring landed on the dirt just in front of his cell door. Desperate he lunged forwards, but the key was just out of reach his fingertips inches away from freedom.
"Could have thrown it, a bit closer". David remarked as his anger grew.
"Safer in here" the man mumbled manically.
Grunting David stretched out as far as he could through the cell bars, only gaining another millimetre, but it wasn't enough, he eventually stopped.
"Giving up" the man stated with a sigh of relief.
Ignoring the man next to him now David got up searching his cell for a stick before he smiled, undoing his belt and using it to extend his reach. This second attempt was much more successful able to hook onto the key and pull it towards him.
"I'll never stop fighting for those I love". David stated as his determination grew and a smile slowly lit up his face, when he unlocked the cell door watching it swing open.
"That must be nice" once again the man's voice was became distant as he remained still.
David smiled looking over at the man's face, pale he was mostly skin and bones, decaying away from malnutrition. "Com with me?" He stepped closer with a pitying expression.
"Don't worry, I deserve it" the man stated solemn.
"Who are you?" David curiosity grew wondering what story was unravelling before him.
"A lie, a false prophet, a master of illusion" he waved his hands about in a mocking sense as he said the words aloud.
"The wizard of oz" David stated in awe as he put the pieces together.
"You know of me" the man chuckled surprised.
"Kind of, it's a long story" David shrugged enjoying the thought that the dark curse, did have some good consequences, knowing the stories, the characters in his world better than ever.
"Leave me, you seem like a good man, maybe you'll make it". The wizard looked to him with sympathy, as if guilty.
David unlocked the man's cell opening the door his heart conflicted, but unable to turn away, he reached down grabbing the wizards arm pulling him up.
"I will and I'm taking you with me". David stated content filled with a sense of purpose, like his old self again. Putting the man's arm over his shoulder, carrying him towards the stairs and out of the dungeon.
"No, I'll never be free" The wizard stated shaking his head terrified.
"I'm not leaving you behind". He grunted out of breath, the Prince struggled to get up the stairs with the extra weight, but eventually they reached the top and he stopped to catch his breath.
The wizard suddenly stood upright knocking the prince off his feet his strength increasing, his skin morphing into black fur. The once scrawny arms doubling in size, nails growing into sharp claws, while wings sprouted out of the creatures back.
"What?" David gasped stepping back his eyes wide in horror.
"I tried to tell you; I'll never be free of this curse" The fear washed away from the man's face replaced with vicious rage.
"Wait please" David yelled, raising his hands in defence.
The man before him gone, his eyes turning dark green they glared at him with hatred, what stood before him wasn't a man. A monstrous beast with large wings rising over its shoulders, as David stared, the creature swung forward slashing its claws through his abdomen. David fell forward to his knees as the creature roared victorious, before clutching its head and moving further away. Slowly shrinking down smaller until he was a man once more, his hand dripping with the prince's blood.
"I warned you" he gasped exasperated.
"Please, help me" David begged his hand on his side as the blood poured out, the wizard shook his head defeated, he turned away. Standing up straight and running down the hall, leaving the Prince to bleed out on the floor.
Snow White closed her eyes for a moment, straining her neck to the side, in an attempt to quiet the noise in her head. But it barely gave her a second of peace, she walked through the grand entranceway of the Evil Queens castle. The black knights that used to rom the halls long gone, it was eerie and quiet, many of the railings and ornaments rusted. This once great fortress now dilapidated, with rooms trashed and vandalised over the years, right above the evil queens throne the words heartless, painted on the wall. None of this gave Snow White pause for concern, her eyes cold and distant as she search for her love.
"Always searching, must get tiresome". Rumpelstiltskin mocked.
Snow White turned away, walking out of the room and back into the hall with speed, but it was impossible to outrun your own thoughts. Fear was creeping up on her, it bubbled to the surface leaving her unable to focus, she couldn't find her way back to him, as she usually did.
"True love" His tone mocked as he said it, but then paused before he looked towards her with more serious tone "Can it really break any curse?"
Stopping in her tracks, she turned now glaring at Rumpelstiltskin, while he leaned against the wall smiling menacingly at her. Before she sighed continuing forwards as her heart raced, trying to quiet the doubts filling her head.
"Maybe the noble prince won't be able to love, a Dark one". He continued stepping closer until he was standing by her side, twirling a piece of golden straw in his hands.
"Leave" Snow Surged forwards hatred overwhelming her, while her heart and soul blackened, with every moment the dark magic surged through her body "I don't need your help".
The echo of Rumpelstiltskin dissipated, and she was alone in the hall, but it wasn't quiet, there where footsteps ahead.
"David" Snow called out, moving towards the sound of a man gasping desperately for air, while on the ground was a trail of blood leading to the west tower. Breaking into a run, Snow White raced across the castle to a grand chamber, a figure in front of her leaned against the wall breathing heavy and coated in sweat.
"Are you hurt?" Snow stated somewhat confused unable to find a wound on the man.
"Not my blood, the man in dungeon" He chuckled deliriously staring blankly before he fell forwards, to his knees, his laugh became deeper while his eyes shifted to dark green, then back again.
"Tell me, where he is?" her voice firm, glaring at him.
"Nobody really wants the truth" he stated chuckling once more.
Her hand tightened as his neck strained by an invisible force, before he began to cough and choke unable to breath, while she stepped closer.
"Tell me what I want to know, and I'll make it quick" Snow threatened as her anxieties rose.
The man seemingly unbothered by this threat, looking down at his blood-soaked arm his expression shocked, as if he had just noticed it was there, but the memory resurfaced quickly.
"I can't save anyone… "He looked to her guilty and pathetic "I, I ran".
"You left him, bleeding" Snow exhaled sharply as her eyes narrowed.
An arrow flew through the air tearing through the man's shoulder crushing his bone, he screamed in agony, the beast within, now too scared to come out.
"Please I had to, I'm a monster, trapped in my own skin" He whimpered, as his body fully returned to its slim frame, his skin pale and hollow.
"Aren't we all" she stated with a cruel smile, readying to strike him again.
"Snow?" David gasped out in agony, one arm on the railing as he walked over from the adjacent tower. His other hand clutching his abdomen, with blood trickling down to the floor.
"You found me" Snow stated her voice cold, smiling as she let go of the wizard beaten and broken, he fell to the floor with a thud, his body now lay unmoving.
"Augh" David grunted in agony while edging closer to her, before he fell to the ground.
"No" Snow White appeared by her husband's side, quickly putting her arm around him, his white shirt now thoroughly soaked in blood once more. Her black cloak draped over the prince, her skin pale and eyes cold and dark as she looked into his.
"What happened to you?" David gasped out, his eyes welling with tears.
"Me" She paused smiling overjoyed to have found him in time "you're the one, whose been kidnapped and sliced open" she teased smiling down at him.
"That man he..." David gasped out, breathless from the pain unable to speak.
"Quiet its ok, just stay still". She stated lovingly, stoking her hand through his hair gently, while her other hand glowed with golden light hovering over his wounds, within seconds the pain faded. His torn organs and skin morphing together until there was no sign of any trauma, just erased. His eyes wide with relief, but the warm sensation didn't last, his wife's cold hand on his cheek with a seductive smile on her face.
"What is the price of healing me?" David gasped terrified, he leant forwards more desperate then he'd ever been to kiss her lips, but she pulled away.
"It's not a price, you'll have to pay" she stated coldly with a smile, that sent a shiver up his spine.
This deflection of his kiss it all happened so quickly, David wasn't sure how intentional it was, but he felt a sensation overwhelm him, wondering if he would faint.
"That's what worries me" David face went pale "It's your heart that that will bear the cost".
"I can take it". Snow smiled but it wasn't hopeful, slyer.
"Snow no, I must protect your heart" He stuttered wondering if he was too late "Save you from this curse".
Regina's words echoed in his mind, warning him the Snow he might find, would be one he didn't know.
"Not right now" Her tone was blunt, and she frowned "We have a witch to find".
In his blood-stained shirt David realised with heartbreaking clarity, exactly why such powerful magic, would be seductive to his wife, but he only had one thing on his mind now.
"Emma?" He said it like a question, an accusation as his eyes narrowed, wondering where his daughter was and what damage this twisted version of his Snow White, could have inflicted on her.
"She's fine" she stated frustrated sensing his distrust as she stood up, offering him a hand "asleep in my old place, with the dwarfs" Snow explained her voice low and blunt.
"You left her with them". He looked at her disapprovingly, while taking her hand he got up from the marble floor.
"Your right, Happy probably made her listen to his flute, the torture". Her tone mocking as she turned away from him.
"I'm serious, the witch what if...?" David gasped desperate to see Emma safe, with his own eyes.
"I put a protection spell on the house" Snow stated trying to reassure him, but her tone was still filled with concern "there probably not even out of bed yet" she turned smiling gesturing for him to follow her.
They walked along the hall together, Snows leant her head on his shoulder into a large atrium, both smiled there expression soon changed, as their eyes gazed out the window. Outside a chaotic scene, the Wicked witch circled around on a broomstick, while the Evil Queen flung fireballs towards her from the ground.
"What now?" David gasped exasperated.
Next Chapter - Regina arrives in the enchanted forest alone with the task of finding the others instead she finds trouble