Of Saints And Sinners

by Valenka

Stolen from his realm with no known way of returning, Rumple must navigate this strange new world where his magic refuses to work properly. With only a kind-hearted princess chained to him for aid, how will Rumple escape this bizarre land and finally reunite with Baelfire? And will he keep his word to Princess Belle to rescue Avonlea from Gaston's clutches?

24. Chapter 24

While Phria had wished to celebrate her betrothal to Rumpelstiltskin, all thoughts of celebration had unfortunately been placed on hold rather regretfully. To say Count Stonecrop hadn't been pleased about his daughter's dismissal had been putting it mildly and, unfortunately, Demeer had been forced to accept Prince Horatio's offer to smooth things over. Turned out, 'smooth things over' had actually meant putting the fear of Drazva into the obnoxious man and then Horatio personally glaring the man down; remarkably effective and borderline comical to watch. Few people in any of the realms Rumple had visited actually stood a chance of taking over the world, but Horatio Umbra could have; charismatic, highly intelligent, driven, just scary enough to emit a dark aura when he wished and, by the gods, did he have the army to enforce his rule. Fortunate they were that Horatio possessed a good heart and cared only for bettering Yanhil.

Another problem to deal with was the library vault. Jefferson, Rumple and Leotomas had exhausted all useful books without them really being any the wiser as to how opening a portal was carried out. Yes, they'd figured out a battery of sorts was required, something charged with dark magic, but how much or if travel back to the Enchanted Forest was even possible hadn't yielded many answers. So, knowing ignoring Gaston's greed really couldn't continue on forever, Jefferson had agreed to travel to Elvasitz in Vell to speak with Vita Tree priests, and feasibly High Priestess Vera Lilyfay herself, in the hopes of learning more on the 'disconnect' they believed demon lords to have had from nature. Demeer had assured him that the elves had a wealth of knowledge even the Arcane University didn't understand and, with a letter to her great-granduncle from Belle, Jefferson was armed with the assistance of King Gasper Einar himself. Frankly, Jefferson's desperation to see Grace again had reached such a high level that he was willing to try just about anything. Nobody could accuse that man of being a poor father.

For the most part, the restructuring of the Valkyries had gone rather well. Scarlette Ravenscroft was capable, resourceful and exceedingly accepting of other races since her half-sister Excella was a half-elf. Meanwhile, those who'd been more in keeping with Cynthia's way of thinking had quickly discovered Vice-Captain Ravenscroft was neither a pushover nor willing to accept them treating their fellow Valkyries and Captain in such a disgraceful manner. Knowing that the Grand Mage had dismissed Cynthia for her actions without hesitation, that Prince Horatio had agreed in earnest and that the Dark One had grown protective of Phria, the prejudice stragglers had soon fallen into line. Of course, 'grown protective' was only as much as Phria and the new Vice-Captain let the otherS know about, they didn't need another royal visit, or worse, one from a cardinal.

Concurrently, Horatio and Owen had returned to Gray Dragon Castle in Ursanyn north of Bichelberger, to inform King Nathaniel of the results of their investigation. Horatio had kept his word and told his father the truth, told him of the hate Cynthia's actions had been rooted in, that Valdis was actually a child to be protected rather than a crazed monster needing death. Horatio had proven himself an honorable man when he'd chosen to explain to his father that, while Rumple was indeed the Dark One, exceptionally powerful and overflowing with dark magic, he had no intentions of waging war, wreaking chaos or taking over the kingdoms. In fact, Horatio had gone out of his way to stress that making an ally of Rumpelstiltskin was surely the wisest course of action, especially when he had Princess Belle, the Grand Mage and Chief Commander vouching for his character. Rumple wouldn't ever know exactly what Horatio had told King Nathaniel to make him trust his son's assessment, but Rumple wouldn't go looking a gift horse in the mouth. He didn't think King Nathaniel would suddenly arrive at the Arcane University to shake his hand personally and offer all the resources of his kingdom, but not trying to kill him was more than enough for Rumple.

Then the real problem had arrived, the one that had stopped almost all of them in their tracks and had them mentally brace for an impact which could have sprung forth at any moment. Early in the morning a letter had arrived from Gordana back in Ranga and, after Demeer had passed it on to Rumple, they'd quickly and bluntly been informed that Artem Van Winchell, the King of Dorovoth, knew the Dark One had been summoned to Dreymyr, that he had Belle with him and desired a meeting at the Adventures Guild building. In varying states of alarm, all involved had gathered in Demeer's office where they'd spent much of the morning and early afternoon discussing exactly what such a letter meant for them all and if the meeting would escalate into an interkingdom incident. All knew King Artem's reputation for being a just, wise and fair king, but they couldn't be too careful when there were multiple kingdoms and organizations on the line; and since keeping knowledge of the Dark One's return away from the Church had become a priority. Still, if King Artem was as perspicacious a ruler as most believed and his friendship with Maurice truly was as unshakable as Belle had insisted, then he would likely make a good comrade.

By the end of their long discussion it had been concluded that the meeting would be accepted and scheduled for the end of the week so there was time to prepare on both ends, and that Belle, Azzy, Amicia and Valdis would return to Ranga with Rumple. Demeer also opted to have Phria accompany them to act as a representative of the Arcane University, and because he knew she'd not have been able to sit idly by while her fiancé went back to save Avonlea and figure out King Artem's intentions; a kindness, Demeer had done her a kindness.

Jefferson had departed to Elvasitz at the meeting's end with a promise to get the information Rumple would need to open the portal again; Tvon's summoning had been unreliable at the very least and couldn't be betted on to get them home. Since Rumple could easily use magic to return to Ranga, he'd summoned Svadilfari and entrusted him to Jefferson to speed up his journey. It had been a while since the horse had gotten some good exercise and he seemed eager to test Jefferson's mettle. Though not a short trek, compared to the distance Jefferson had travelled to Bichelberger, the trip to Elvastiz in the Great Forest was little more than a hop, skip and a jump.

~X~

With Jefferson having departed and everybody seemingly occupied, Rumple had found a few minutes to himself to finish up a project inside his commandeered lab. Though finicky and his eyes had begun to hurt from squinting, Rumple had finished fairly quickly then tracked Phria down to her office. Being him, he didn't bother knocking. The beautiful pantherian sat at her office desk with sunlight streaming in through the two large windows to cause that white hair of hers to glow. Her ears were drooped though and Rumple quickly realized the small mountain of paperwork on the desk was the cause. She'd been in there since the meeting with the others had concluded in Demeer's office, and had been not only going over the daily reports but also issuing written orders in preparation for her departure. From the outside, being Captain of the Valkyries might have seemed simple, that Phria's only job was to swing a sword around if a threat showed up and look stunning in cobalt armor. However, that way of thinking was for the naïve, in reality Phria's work was gruelling and never ended. Reports kept coming from the numerous deplored Valkyries as well as their naval unit and updates from Gretchen Havelock – Akula Prison's warden. Rumple honestly didn't envy his fiancée and he was proud of how hard she worked.

As of late there had been an unusual increase in the amount of sea monster sightings. Sailors on the Straight Run insisted they'd seen an aspidochelone, which was ridiculous since they didn't actually exist, and another ship had been capsized outside Mornvyr's Nightspear Harbor. The Umibōzu's sinking was the eighth ship to sink without warning in that small section of water, and still nobody was any the wiser as to why. Regardless, it was her duty to order Fleet Commander Hiranur Demirci to yet again search the area. According to the Fleet Commander it seemed likely another culling of Jotunn scorpions would soon need to be conducted off the coast of Obahine as well.

The moment her green eyes spotted Rumple a happy smile settled on Phria's lips and those ears perked up, not only was the break from her work welcome but she delighted in any time she managed to spend alone with Rumple. That smile faded though when he went to perch on the stone window ledge to the side of her desk. Looking out he saw she had a fairly nice view of the outside training area, but the cityscape was blocked by thick trees filled with turkey shot nests.

Phria's chair made a squeak when she rose to her feet but the sound went ignored and, in hardly five steps she was by his side with a concerned expression. In her mind Belle was better at comforting people, but Phria would do her best for the man she'd fallen in love with.

"What's wrong, Rumple?"

He didn't speak, simply wrapped her up in his arms so her back was to his chest and rested his chin atop her shoulder so he could continue to stare out the window. She'd seen this mood from him before back when he'd been trying to spin straw into gold so, since it had worked then, Phria started to talk about herself in an attempt to coax him into conversation.

"I've never been to Dorovoth." admitted the pantherian as her tail swayed. "Actually, I haven't ever left Yanhil. Went to Freyfell once and I was born in Berryburn, but that's about it. I know we aren't going west for a good purpose exactly, but I am looking forward to seeing a new kingdom."

Rumple sighed, his breath hot against Phria's neck and caused a few stray strands of white hair from her long ponytail to flare.

"I've asked so much of Belle, turned her entire life upside down for my own desires … and now I'm asking you to do the same. It isn't fair, but I always justify it because I'm a selfish person. I'm taking Belle from her home and family, now I'm taking you from a life you've worked so hard for." Another sigh. "And loving me means you'll both be forever tethered to a beast."

Without leaving his arms even for a moment, Phria managed to turn around so she could look him square in the face.

"No." She told him firmly. "You're not stealing us away from our homes and loved ones like a creature in the night, and none of this is selfish. Belle and I have chosen to go with you. Chosen to help you find Bae – that's not selfish, that's noble. We love you and we will always help you. I love you."

There was such light inside the twenty-two-year-old woman, a brightness unique to her that even Belle couldn't outshine. 'Stop comparing them, you fool! Belle and Phria are very different people, so don't compare them.' He kissed her cheek

"I love you too, darling. Though the fact remains that leaving with me for the Enchanted Forest will mean leaving your post as Valkyrie Captain and all you've worked for."

Phria breathed out a laugh. "I'm already willing to leave Dreymyr, did you not think I'd already come to terms with no longer being Captain of the Valkyries?" She hugged him tighter as his hand settled on her lower back, his little finger brushed the base of her tail. "I love you enough that I'd go anywhere with you, Rumple. Besides, I've always felt as though I shouldn't have been given the job in the first place. I was too young, only nineteen, and there were better options by far. I wasn't properly qualified, a noble or even the best fighter amongst us. My mentor shouldn't have chosen me."

Rumple hummed. "Maybe Iris Aspen didn't choose the best warrior or the one with the highest noble rank because she thought choosing the one with the most courageous heart, and the one who would guide the Valkyries morally was what you all needed." Phria's eyebrows scrunched a little as she thought about what he said. "Had Cynthia taken over then anybody who wasn't fully human would have been systematically purged from the organization and no more would have been considered even if they held a noble rank. She'd have turned it into her own mini Knightly Order and only protected the human students properly."

Phria began to weep then because he'd always been so nice and encouraging to her. Rumple held her closer: he didn't know what he'd done to deserve a woman as selfless and benevolent as Phria Federlord, but he was grateful for her just as he was grateful for Belle.

After they'd shared a few moments of quiet just indulging in one another's warmth – which included Rumple stroking her soft ears – Phria stretched up to kiss him with a sweet smile.

"I love you."

"And I love you, darling."

As they kissed again he smuggled something small out of his dragonlinghide coat and promptly presented Phria with it. Her breath caught in her throat as she admired the engagement ring, its square emerald glistened in the sunlight and Rumple had clearly gone to some effort twisting and tying multiple strands of gold around each other to form the ring itself. Belle was his sapphire, his calm and focused beauty with a passion for books and a heart purer than any other. Meanwhile, Phria was his emerald, his inspirational and patient wonder who was shier than people knew but never let it stop her. A scholar and a warrior respectively.

The second it was placed on her finger Phria felt complete, as though Belle allowing her to be his secondary wife had been confirmed. Phria wasn't just a silly little girl hopefully praying to be with him, she was officially the Dark One's secondary fiancée.

For quite some time the two remained by the window in one another's arms but, eventually, Phria spotted her stack of paperwork again and knew it couldn't be denied forever. The reports wouldn't simply vanish because she'd not looked at them, they'd just grow in size until looking at them was unavoidable. Knowing responsibility called, Phria stepped out of Rumple's warm arms and smiled at him lovingly.

"I need to finish all that." She gestured to the pile. "You should go to the girls. If what is going on with LeGume is as bad as Belle says, and we don't know what King Artem wants or is planning to do, then you should spend time with your daughters while you can."

He supposed that made logical sense. He'd be taking Amicia and Valdis back with them since the Arcane University was a school rather than a daycare, and because keeping Valdis close was safest for her, but none of that meant he'd let Gaston nor Tvon anywhere near them. The girls weren't even ten, they couldn't fight nor were they expected to. Frankly, he planned on leaving them in Martha Potts' care with Azzy to guard them until Avonlea had been returned to her rightful sovereign and King Artem's intentions had been uncovered.

In the end it hadn't taken all that much encouraging to have Rumple agree. Phria had slipped back into her desk chair and lifted her quill while Rumple took one more glance out the window.

"You will join us for dinner, yes?"

Though it had been phrased as a question, Phria doubted it actually was one. A secondary wife dining with the primary and their children just wasn't a done thing; would have been considered rude to the primary wife, but Rumple didn't seem to care much for such things. Actually, when Phria thought about it, despite their engagement being new, Rumple hadn't referred to Belle and Phria as his primary and secondary once. Phria hadn't realized it quite yet, but Rumple wouldn't ever classify them in such a way, to him they were equal for they were both to be his wife.

With a nod she confirmed that she'd join them for dinner – just a small and private family meal – then watched him depart her stone office.

Rumple cared little for the guilt that welled up inside his lean body. He had a family again filled with people he loved and who loved him in return, but that guilt had started to grow painfully heavy because Bae wasn't part of it.

~X~

Quite some hours later Phria hadn't shown up for dinner. At first they'd just assumed the woman to merely be a few minutes late so had waited patiently for her. Then, when the children had begun to grumble they were hungry, Belle had allowed them to start their evening meal while Rumple summoned Ognyan and sent him off to find Phria with a message. The White Inferno had taken significantly longer than expected to return, so long that dinner had basically finished, but at least he'd brought a message with him. Phria's note explained that she'd been waylaid in town, which solved the mystery of why Ognyan had taken so long, and run into, what Phria called, 'unforeseen problems'. Though brief, her note made sure to apologize and left instruction to say sorry to Amicia and Valdis for her. With little other choice, Rumple had dismissed Ognyan before the hamster belched fire again and carried on with his family evening minus Phria; an irritation but no big issue.

Dinner finished then Amicia and Valdis practised the girl's walking some more. Since gaining her talisman, Valdis' had come on in leaps and bounds, she'd begun to smile more and adored exploring with Amicia and Belle. While Amicia had made it her mission as the big sister to teach Valdis to walk, she remained shaky on two legs and often ended up with Belle carrying her around the gardens while Amicia and Azzy trailed at their side. Still, just as with Amicia, Valdis had a real chance at a life now she was seen as more than a monster and Cynthia Stonecrop had been sent away. They'd asked about Phria several times, especially Valdis who she was particularly close to, but hadn't complained too much when Rumple's only answer had been 'she's busy, you'll see her in the morning'. Eventually though, the time had come to ready the girls for bed – they'd insisted on sharing a room – then Belle had read them a story until they'd dropped off.

After two more hours of Phria's absence when Belle had finished her book and Rumple had actually started to grow concerned, they'd decided to check Phria's office despite Belle being in her night clothes. Best case scenario was that the pantherian had fallen asleep at her desk upon her return, worst case was that Rumple would have to seek her out in town and put an end to her 'unforeseen problems' for her.

The pair appeared in Phria's dark office with a whoosh of smoke to find Phria sat at her desk as she rubbed furiously at her temples. She actually startled at their sudden appearance but somehow seemed relieved, as though she'd expected somebody else. Seeing the elder girl's upset, Belle hurried around the desk to comfort her while Rumple's brow furrowed; the room felt … off.

"Is everything all right, Phria?" Belle questioned softly, concern evident in her voice while Rumple remained unmoving. "Has something happened?"

"I'm just going mad." Phria shook her head as she finally ceased rubbing her temples. "All afternoon I've felt like someone or something is watching me. I know that sounds ridiculous, I'd smell someone if they were following me. Even when I went into town I couldn't shake the feeling. Like a shudder up my spine, it is."

Belle, being the comforting soul that she was, began to rub Phria's back soothingly. Phria may have been older than Belle by a handful of years, but it had become rather evident that Phria wasn't as confident as she pretended to be; Belle's bravery was natural while Phria had to cling to hers.

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, everybody has off days."

While Belle spoke words of sympathy and encouragement, Rumple closed his eyes to focus on the bizarre feeling within the office. An absence maybe? A surplus? Rumple's eyes snapped open.

"Well, darling," he began with a few steps forward and one of those flamboyant bursts he was known for. "There's an easy explanation for all this." Then, without warning nor hesitancy, Rumple's left hand swung outward sending some invisible mass hurtling into the stone chimney where it dropped to the hearth floor coughing and flickered back into being. "There's a rat!"

A man – or, more precisely, a pantherian man of maybe thirty who looked somewhat older due to his naturally dark gray hair and hard face – finally got some air back in his lungs but didn't bother attempting to flee despite the blades on his belt; as though he had figured out such a thing would be futile. Amazed somebody had managed to sneak into the Arcane University unseen, the women watched on from behind the desk as Rumple crouched down, eyes filled with poorly contained violence.

"How did you know I was there?"

This pantherian with a sleek black tail and ears seemed more interested in how Rumple had noticed him than the fact he now faced death.

Rumple nodded to himself. "Clever, dearie. Aye, very clever. Light magic is an advanced form of fire magic, it's not easy but not excessively difficult either. That's what you were doing, yes? Wrapping light around you to render yourself invisible and probably using some other chemical to mask your scent, how else could Phria not smell you?" His eyes darkened further then as he leaned forward. "And the only reason you'd go to that much trouble is that you're trying to kill her. Why?!"

Belle gasped, why would anybody ever wish to harm Phria? Who could she possibly have wronged?

The pantherian man breathed out a laugh but it was defeated and lacking anything one usually found in a real laugh. This man may have been more emotionally subdued than Rumple himself.

"Why would you care?"

"Because I intend to marry that girl. Now, answer me!"

A sigh escaped the would-be killer as he let his head fall back against the stone fireplace; he looked tired above all else, just so totally tired.

"What does it matter? I'm an assassin and you caught me, just kill me and get it over with."

They all paused at that comment because surely this man did actually care whether he lived or died, he couldn't honestly be willing to just sit there as Rumple dispatched him for the crime of daring to harm Phria. Belle left the white-haired woman's side then in favor of going to kneel before the man; since Rumple was right beside her she knew she'd not come to any harm, though she doubted this man would try in the first place.

"If you're going to die, then surely telling us can't hurt you."

Of course Belle had no intention of letting Rumple kill this man even if he had intended to assassinate Phria. She'd seen Rumple kill quite enough for one lifetime and had zero intentions of encouraging more after he'd seemingly begun to put those violent outbursts behind him.

For a great many minutes he just looked at the half-elf as if attempting to decipher if it was just curiosity that guided Belle's actions or something else. Then, with his face just as blank as when he'd revealed himself, he turned his amber eyes to Phria who had remained at her desk.

"For what it's worth, I didn't want to kill you."

Abruptly, Rumple snapped his fingers before the man with a stubbly beard flicking his attention back. Rumple wanted answers and he'd have rather done it without torturing them out if the killer since there were ladies present.

"You're answering my questions, dearie. Best not to lie to the Dark One."

Another breathed out laugh, this one almost sounded like genuine amusement. "You're joking, right?"

There were numerous avenues Rumple could have taken to prove his status as a demon lord, or he could have waited a hair's breath for Belle to jump in with assuring words and declarations. However, the hour was late and Rumple honestly didn't have the patience for such things. So, with hardly a split second to think about it, Rumple selected the quickest choice and instantly teleported himself and the would-be assassin several miles above the Arcane University where they began to fall instantly. Rumple kept his unique eyes trained on the panicking man as they fell faster and faster still. Then, as though nothing had ever happened, Rumple teleported them right back to Phria's office before his fiancées could even wonder where he'd gone, they'd been gone hardly five seconds after all.

"Believe me now, dearie?" The gray-haired pantherian pressed himself into the fireplace as best he could in a ridiculous attempt to put more distance between himself and Rumple, amber eyes wide and suddenly more aware that death would likely come in a significantly more horrific form. He gulped and nodded. "Good. Now, you're going to tell me who you are, why you were going to kill Phria, and who ordered this."

"… You're really the Dark One?"

Odd. He still didn't seem to care much that he'd not be leaving the office alive, just about how painful it would be. This pantherian either had a twisted sense of a death wish or … didn't actually want to die.

Rumple's eyes narrowed. "Not a very good first answer, dearie."

Whatever he'd intended to say, or more correctly threaten next was cut off by Belle who placed her delicate hand atop Rumple's shoulder as her heavenly eyes turned back to the man awaiting death. Meanwhile, Phria had opted to simply sit at her desk to watch everything unfold as she attempted to comprehend that, had Rumple and Belle not randomly magicked into her office when they did, she'd have probably met the Angel of Death by now.

"Please answer his questions. Please?"

The black-eared pantherian sighed. "… Renner Cassian-Lorne."

Belle smiled with a winsome gratitude. "Hello, Renner."

"I was ordered to assassinate Captain Federlord, and I don't know who commissioned it."

"You don't know?!" Rumple snarled.

"It's true," insisted Renner. "I don't know how people make a contract with the House of Red Coats, all I know is who I was sent to kill and that I was to make it look like a suicide. That's why I've been following her around all afternoon, I needed her alone."

Rumple knew about the House of Red Coats, knew they operated in the murky shadows as anyone would expect of an assassins guild, and knew their penchant for poisons. Whoever had wanted his sweet Phria dead had access to a good amount of coin and wasn't afraid to resort to unscrupulous behavior. The House of Red Coats wasn't some band of common mercenaries, they were a scalpel rather than a hammer.

"Why a suicide?" Phria suddenly questioned as though she'd awoken from a daze.

"I told you, I don't know. I just do as I'm told. What's the point of me lying to you when I'm already dead?"

Rumple's head cocked to the side and squinted a little, this man honestly didn't act the way any of them had expected an assassin to. Then again, few people had ever actually had the courage to attempt assassinating the Dark One, and the girls had only heard stories. Nobody knew how the House of Red Coats functioned or governed itself, but this man didn't seem like the sort who'd have opted to become a murderer for hire, Renner couldn't have been with them willingly.

"Why don't you care if you live or die?" Belle's curiosity had finally reached bursting point and the question had just sprung forth from her lips.

Renner stared down at his legs as if trying to shove away memories of a painful past. "Because there isn't any point anymore. He's … gone."

Rumple's face may have remained carved in stone but both Phria's and Belle's expressions softened. Belle adored a story, even a sad one, while Phria had known enough real sorrow to see it in the eyes of others.

"Who's gone?"

"No one needs me spilling my life story, woman."

"You'll show my brides some respect!" Hissed the Dark One.

"Brides?" Renner said mostly to himself but Belle ignored it entirely in favor of getting a story.

"Please tell us, Renner."

For a split second he weighed up his options. On the one hand, were he to refuse her the demon lord would likely make his death excruciating on principal for rebuffing his bride. On the other, telling his tale may have lessened the Dark One's wrath, but the memories would hurt regardless. Tell the nice woman, that was probably the lesser of two evils.

"There are two kinds of assassins at the House of Red Coats: the ones people like you think we all are, and then there are the slaves like me. They buy up debt then force you to carry out a contract to repay it so an assassination doesn't look like an assassination. My pa, he had a lot of debt. Couldn't stop passing out in gambling dens and he hated me. So, when he suddenly owed the Red Coats money instead of the dens, he gave them me as payment." For the first time a real smile settled on Renner's lips. "That was where I met him, met Aidan. Same thing had happened to him more or less, but he was small, couldn't cope with the training without help. They'd have killed Aidan if I hadn't protected him." Renner sighed: 'yeah, look how that turned out.' Belle reached out to take his large hand into her own, how odd for a woman to comfort the man who'd just tried to kill her friend. "Wanted to be a knight when I was a kid. Stupid, right? Aidan was the only good thing in my life, so I kept killing. I'm selfish like everybody else. We were killing for years." Renner shrugged defeatedly. "Then he got caught, and now Aidan's gone."

Tears had welled up in Belle's sapphire eyes. "You loved him very much, didn't you?"

For the first time Renner looked up at Belle properly. "He's the only one I've ever loved. Doesn't matter now though. Even if I could escape, I'll not make it back by sunrise. I'm a dead man."

"You don't have a collar." Phria pointed out. "Why didn't you and Aidan just run away?"

"They're not stupid. They can't use a collar so they came up with something else." Renner gestured to the right side of his neck just below where his ear would have been were he human. It had been a long time since he'd been able to just have a conversation with someone, at least he got that much before his death. "Poison vial wrapped in magic. It wears off so we have to come back from jobs or we die. Tamper with it, we die."

Phria nodded to herself as she placed her elbows on the desk then raked her hands down her beautiful face. "So it was a case of you or me, I suppose that's understandable."

Rumple looked Renner over; a broken man who missed his lover and had mentally prepared himself for death but his heart had yet to follow. Tall, muscular and somewhat grim-looking man, but ultimately a protector rather than a killer. Something about Renner reminded Rumple of Bae, somebody who'd faced the world's darkness and found a way to survive regardless. Decision made, Rumple lifted his hand up to Renner's neck and used spacial magic to port the vial free of Renner's skin. The vial promptly smashed letting the dark poison splatter down onto the hearth where it intermingled with the ashes there. Renner just stared at the deadly pap.

"Belle and Phria have clearly taken a liking to you, dearie, and I know when I see a liar, you're not one. You said you wanted to be a knight when you were young, so I'll give you a choice. I can kill you here and now, I'll even make it quick out of respect for my fiancées. Or, you repay me for freeing you from the House of Red Coats clutches."

Renner's brow furrowed underneath his scruffy hair of dark gray. "What would you have me do?"

Rumple smirked because he felt a deal coming on. "My children are in need of a bodyguard and I think an assassin capable of light magic would do nicely." Both women snapped to Rumple with surprise, then each other before they turned back to the man they'd one day marry. "I have given you back your life, Renner Cassian-Lorne, so you would devote yours to theirs. You will protect them until you die or I tell you to stop. If saving them means you die, then you die."

Several seconds of silence lingered, Rumple's face remained stern while the women attempted to figure out if such a suggestion was wise.

"You'd trust me with your children?"

"I think you're capable. Besides, you let harm come to any of them and you'll know why they call me the Dark One. I'll make that vial of poison in your neck seem like a mercy, dearie. Now, choose."

Renner thought for a moment. After all the people he'd killed, Renner knew he didn't deserve to keep his life when he'd taken those of innocents. However, Aidan – Renner's sweet light-fingered locksmith – had always talked about heroes and the day they'd be better people. That day hadn't ever come for his beloved Aidan, but maybe Renner could do it for the both of them. Then there was the fact the man before him was surely a demon lord, only they had access to spacial magic and his bizarre clothes sealed it. The Valkyrie Captain had seemed to be respected and admired by those living in Bichelberger, a noble warrior. Then there was the chestnut-haired beauty who'd gone out of her way to comfort him, a good and kind soul that hardly existed in the world any longer. These women were genuine people with noble souls, yet they'd given their hearts to a demon lord. Was it possible there was more to the Dark One than just evil? Surely, if there was hope for Rumpelstiltskin then there was hope for Renner.

The scruffy-haired pantherian nodded. "Okay, I'll do as you ask, my Lord."

"Deal!" Rumple giggled as the murderous intensity suddenly drained from his eyes. "Congratulations, dearie, you're now the bodyguard the First Demon Lord's children and you'll protect them. All of them."

Renner nodded, he'd decided his fate.

In one smooth motion, Rumple summoned a pin and glass vial, jabbed Renner's hand and dripped the blood into the vial before he sent it all off to whence it came. Renner yanked his hand away as his brow furrowed deeply.

"Don't look so stricken, dearie. You're not on a leash, I'm just ensuring you'll be found if you run away."

Rumple finally stood and aided Belle to her feet where she slotted against him perfectly. Blue eyes raked over Renner who continued to sit half in the fireplace. He may have had some muscle on him, but he was clearly underfed, scruffy and hadn't slept in quite some time if the bags underneath his eyes were anything to go by. Though confused that Rumple had so easily relinquished the idea of killing Renner, both Belle and Phria were pleased by the outcome. Belle had always been a firm believer in providing second chances, while Phria thought Renner to have been made a victim long before she had.

Belle left Rumple's arms then and encouraged Renner onto his feet by pulling at his elbow. He'd soon learn what the others in the room knew, Belle could be insistent when she desired to be and was difficult to argue with when in that mood.

"Come with me, I'll get you fed and a bed. I'm Belle by the way and, since he won't bother to introduce himself, he's Rumpelstiltskin."

Renner seemed unsure of following Belle despite her tugging on his arm but, after a nod from the demon lord he'd decided to serve, he went along with it. A minor flourish of Rumple's hand as they departed had the sapphire in Belle's engagement ring flash, though nobody noticed.

Once the door had closed, Phria's head dropped down onto the desk which had Rumple spin around with a furrowed brow.

"Are you sure it's okay to let him go alone with Belle?"

"I put a protection on Belle's ring." A similar gesture caused the emerald in Phria's ring to flash. "And now yours has it as well."

Rumple rounded the desk and pulled her up to kiss. So beautiful, so wonderfully his. With that kiss all the emotion Phria had been keeping inside, the fear of having almost died, was released and she clung to Rumple. Before either of them knew it, Phria's clothes were off, Rumple's dragonlinghide coat had ended up dangling off the chair and Phria had been lifted onto the desk with her legs spread to accommodate him.

"Beautiful little minx." Rumple purred as he dropped to his knees and buried his face in her wet heat causing her to cry out and thread her fingers through his long hair. "That's my darling."

His talented tongue dragged a long stripe over her core and smirked when she moaned wantonly as a shiver ran through her. He did it again and again and again until he latched onto her clit like a man dying of thirst. When she finally came, Phria's fingers dug into Rumple's scalp, her head fell back and a breathy cry escaped her while a rumbled chuckle escaped him. Warm hands found her supple hips as he kissed up towards her stomach until he finally stood up to press his lips to hers. His length strained inside his leather breeches, but Phria's skillful hands soon freed him with eager anticipation. She pumped him a few times in her hand before finally, finally, he filled her to the hilt. Each thrust deep and slow for a while as the pair moaned and reviled in each other's touch. The needy noise she made for him only spurred Rumple on deeper, harder, faster. His lean hips moved in a desperate rhythm as they kissed and explore the other's bodies.

"Rumple!" She panted. "Harder, please."

His thrusts grew erratic as they rushed towards climaxes. Phria's ears twitched, her emerald eyes had fallen shut and her heated skin smelt blissfully of leather and something floral – lavender maybe. Rumple's calloused fingers trailed steadily up her supple body to tangle into Phria's white hair, a pause only to tweak sensitive pink nipples. His nails against her scalp had her cry out for him and only him. The beauty who was Phria Federlord was all his and Rumple basked in it.

When white finally erupted behind her eyes, Phria sunk her teeth into Rumple's flesh where his neck met his shoulder and awakened something animalistic inside Rumple. He chased after his orgasm like a desperate man then came with a grunt and fingers tangled in her hair.

For several moments the pair simply clung to one another as they panted through their bliss then, after he'd managed to tuck himself into his breeches, Rumple fell into the desk chair and pulled Phria to sit in his lap. Her eyes were half-lidded, her cheeks flushed as her lungs struggled to fill with fresh oxygen. Phria's ears continued to twitch against his forehead tickling the skin there as she savored the last wisps of pleasure.

"You're sure nobody else was hiding in here, right? Otherwise they've just gotten a real eye full." Phria teased with a breathy laugh as Rumple secured her while snaring her in his arms.

"I'm positive, darling."

Their admittance of their love for one another was new and their betrothal newer still, but Rumple had almost lost Phria. In his mind there were only two people who would have wanted Phria dead and possessed enough wealth to hire the House of Red Coats: Cynthia Stonecrop and her father, Alan. Yet, after Prince Horatio had put the fear of Drazva into Count Stonecrop, only Cynthia would have held enough spite to push forward regardless. Cynthia had likely wanted Phria's death to look like a suicide to disgrace her more than to push away suspicion. That woman was fortunate Rumple didn't know where she'd run off to because, if he ever saw her again, he'd kill her.

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A/N: This is now on hiatus until September 18th.